Roll Away Your Stone
by Whedonist
Summary: 6th in the series - Secrets aren't meant to stay hidden.
1. Tell Me A

Disclaimer: I think I've mentioned that they're not mine. They're Nancylee Myatt's and others- I can dream though and play with 'em if I promise to be nice and not make any money from it...I think...at least that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

A/N: I'm not sure what to say about this piece...it's longish - not the longest I've done, but it's the longest in the world of Nikki & Nora. Read and enjoy.

* * *

><p><strong><span>Tell Me A…<span>**

"Niiiikkkkiiiiii," my girl wines from the passenger seat of our new car, a Porsche Cayenne that Nora's affectionately named Bruce, "Tell me where we're going."

I laugh, loudly, wanting to make sure that Nora hears the enjoyment I'm getting out of having her cuffed and blindfolded next to me. "Sugga," I purr and run a soothing hand up and down her left thigh, "Relax, we haven't properly celebrated your birthday for two years." I leave my hand on her upper thigh. "If you remember rightly, it was right after we came back from my first trip to Virginia. Let me have my fun."

She huffs and puffs, but ultimately, shuts up to let me drive to our destination. While where we're going isn't exactly how I would have pictured spending Nora's thirty-fourth birthday, seeing her face when she sees the people from work, her mother and Bobby…it will at least be entertaining for me.

Bobby and I have been coordinating this since early December. Mrs. Delaney wanted to plan a little something special for Nora, as well as Nora's brother, Patrick, who is coming back to New Orleans. Bobby's picking him and his business partner up from the airport as we head to the restaurant.

"Nik," Nora says, "since you won't tell me where we're going, can you at least tell me what we'll be doing?"

"Birthday festivities. Why can't you relax?" I ask. I know very well why she can't relax; it's not something my partner is ever really good at, more so over the past few years. Living the way we live, It makes it kind of hard…too many secrets and too many lies.

"I just…" She huffs again and pouts, "Are the handcuffs really necessary?"

"Not entirely," I admit and run my free hand down her cheek, "but I just don't know if I can trust you to keep the blindfold on." Deciding that my touch is soothing, I begin to play with the hair at the nape of her neck, letting my nails skim over flesh.

Her breath hitches and she says, "If I promise to not take the blindfold off?"

"Hmm," I draw out the decision, "I don't know. The last time I had you blindfolded and told you not to remove it, you did the exact opposite."

"But you…" she stammers and even in the low light the car provides, I can see the frustration raise the color in her cheeks, "Reba jumped on my chest! I didn't know our cat had a thing for boobs!"

I can't help but snicker. It's true. I went downstairs to put the surprise dinner together and bring it up to Nora, but our cat, thank you Darius, thought she'd take advantage of her mistress.

"Yes, well," I manage through my fit of giggles, "it seems Reba is more like her mommy than we previously thought."

"Oh, don't even. Darius gave that cat to YOU Nik, not me. I'll take full responsibility for Mister, but Reba's all yours." She slumps back in her seat as I pull the car into the parking lot and find a space to park the Porsche.

"Now, will you be a good girl and let me un-cuff you?" I ask leaning over and whispering in her ear.

Her body shudders a little and she nods. I lean in and kiss her neck as I undo the cuffs. "You sit tight. I'm going to come around and get you."

She gives off a low growl.

I shake my head. She's just too cute for words sometimes. I take one last liberty and nip her ear lobe before stepping from the driver's side. As I come around the rear end of the Cayenne, I see Bobby pull into the lot. He's all grins.

Giving him a nod of recognition, I reach the passenger side to get Nora out, but she's already standing outside the car, arms folded across her chest and her tongue firmly planted in her cheek. I grin. The blindfold's still in place.

"You couldn't wait could you?" I ask stopping right in front of her.

"You love me anyhow," she says confidently.

Who can argue with that?

"True, but it's not nice to take advantage of a lady's affections, Ms. Delaney," I chide jokingly.

"Good thing I don't know any ladies." She sticks her tongue out at me and I have half a mind to swat her ass, but I know Bobby and his charges are coming.

"You'll pay for that later, sugga." I lean in and quickly press our lips together. "I love you, Nora, but for now, let's go." I take her arm and lead her towards the front of the parking lot and to the entrance of the restaurant. Bobby and two men, one I assume is Patrick and the other…I draw a blank on his friend's name. Bobby's told me a few times, but it just doesn't want to stick.

I smile and give the men a little wave looking the two new ones over. One has very short cropped dark blonde hair and the same eyes as Nora. I think I'll call him Patrick. His back is rigid and he looks and moves like a Marine. With a broad chest and by the way the sleeves of his dress shirt are straining, he's very in shape.

The other man is trimmer, lithe with jet black hair, razor cut and shaggy. His clothes are more in fashion and by the Prada shoes he's wearing, he knows good footwear. He smiles at me too; it transforms his pouty lips and lightens his face. His dark brown eyes catch a little light and I like what I see.

I bring my index finger to my lips and ask for silence. The hostess takes us to the back of the room where I had reserved the large dining room.

"Nora, I'm going to take the blindfold off, but I have on rule," I warn her.

"What would that be ba…?"

"That," I say quickly, covering up for her near slip, and trail off. I, instead, whip the blind fold off and give her a light shove into the room as the group yells, "Surprise!"

"Holy Shii…" Nora's surprised voice trails off as she sees her mom off to the right and she quickly recovers, "Sugar!"

"Now," the man I've identified as Patrick booms behind Nora, "Is that anyway to greet your brother you haven't seen in ages?"

Nora whips around and her beautiful green eyes grow as large as saucers. "Patrick?"

"Hey, Huggy," Patrick says not giving Nora a chance to respond before he has his arms around her.

Finally, Nora reacts and wraps her arms around Patrick's waist.

Mrs. Delaney comes up next to me as the group of guests gets in line to say hello to the two guests of honor. "Thank you, detective. Bobby told me you helped put everything together."

I smile over at my lover's mother and nod. She still doesn't know about Nora and me. She has no clue her daughter's in a committed relationship with another woman, but one day I hope my Nora will see fit to tell her. For now, I just enjoy seeing Nora shocked and happy. I have my own personal celebration planned for when we get home.

* * *

><p>I stand off to the side as my friends, Bobby and mother mill around, getting along and laughing together. There are more cops here than anything so it makes mingling a little easier. And truth be told I'm still a little shocked. I can't believe Nikki and my brother put this together.<p>

And Patrick.

He's talking with Nikki and I can't believe he's here. I'm just…floored.

My mom's on her best behavior though. That's a plus. I think she's just happy to have three of her four kids in the same room at the same time. It hasn't happened since dad passed.

"Happy birthday Nora," Patrick's friend, Chris offers as he comes up from leaving the small group of people talking with Bobby. "Sorry we haven't had much chance to talk, your mother seems to be pumping me for information on her son."

I grimace. "Sorry about that. She's…well, she's our mom."

"It's okay. Patrick had warned me about it. It's nice to meet you all finally. He talks about you a lot." Chris takes a sip of the drink in his hand I look over at my brother. We still haven't had a chance to sit and talk much with everyone interrupting, but Nikki just got pulled away by Ben to settle an argument over something he and Dan have been carrying on about for the past half hour.

My older brother turns my way and winks. He looks good. San Diego has treated him well.

"Are you gonna tell your little sister what warrants you coming home for a visit?" I ask him folding my arms across my chest.

He shrugs. "It's not a visit. We're moving back," he answers.

We?

"Who's we?" I wonder out loud.

"Chris and me. I've retired from the Marines and Chris needs a change of pace. So we're going to open up a business out here. I thought it was time to come home," Patrick says smiling over at Chris.

"But…hell Pat, I thought you'd die in uniform," I half tease him. Although it's true. My brother loved being in the service. He served two tours in the Persian Gulf then went to San Diego to train new recruits. The last time we talked he was telling me about how much fun it was to break down the new guys.

He shrugs and offers me an easy smile, "Sometimes things change. It was time."

My eyes narrow at him and I sense that there's more to the story. Usually there is and it's just a little overwhelming to hear that he retired.

"Okay," I give in and hold my hands up, "It's not like it won't be good to have you home. Maybe then ma can stop harassing me and start harassing you more."

"She still on you to get hitched?" he asks and then explains to his friend, "I think it has to do with her urge to plan another wedding. She's been after Nora for years."

"Ah," Chris says smiling, "Why?"

"I think it's 'cause she thinks getting married will get me off the streets," I grumble.

Chris gives a short bob of his head. "For a parent, I can see that, but if you're anything like your brother, she should just give up." The man gives me a wink and laughs. He's different, nice enough, but there's something about him that I can't put my finger on.

I look over at Nikki and lock eyes with my lover. She gives me a wink and then jumps back into her conversation; it looks like she and Georgia are ganging up on Charlie. I should go over there and save him.

Charlie's been such a good friend over the years. Nikki and I usually make it to dinner once or twice a month with him and his wife. Considering he's known about Nikki and I for over a year now, it's good to have him in our corner. It also makes the other cops jealous 'cause he tends to give our bodies priority if he can.

"Huggy," Patrick says touching my arm.

I break away from staring at my colleagues, well mostly Nikki, and shake my head. "Sorry, what did you say?"

"I was just asking how long you and Nikki have been partnered. Bobby says she's a good cop. You two also seem close." Patrick wiggles his eyebrows and my eyes narrow. His hands go up immediately at my look and he says, "It's good though. You always tended be the loner of the Delaney clan."

"Hey, I have friends," I gripe a little too defensive.

"I'm not saying you didn't…" His lips press together. "I mean…you keep a very tight group of friends." He turns a little towards Chris and fills him in, "When we were growing up, Nora always seemed to only have one or two people around her." He smiles at me, trying to take the judgment out of his words. I see what he's saying, but it's really none of his business and so help me if Bobby let anything slip, I will have his hide hung on my living room wall.

Chris lays a hand on my arm and commiserates, "It's okay, I'm not much of a social butterfly either. Less drama and hassle."

"Thank you. At least someone understands." I point at Patrick and give as good as I get, "Unlike Mr. Social Butterfly here. He was always bringing girls home. One sometimes two at a time."

Chris' eyebrows hike in surprise, "Really?"

I nod an affirmative and take pleasure in the way my brother shifts under Chris' scrutinizing gaze.

"You'll have to tell me about this sometime," Chris leans in and whispers.

"Hey, hey, none of this," my brother points between the two of us, "I'm not moving home to be ganged up on by my runt sister and you, Mr. L.A. Music Mogul."

I turn a raised eyebrow to Chris and he blushes, ducking his head. "What is it that you do?" I prod.

"Uh, I work for Sony Records, but I'm on leave and wanted to try starting my own label," he says gently.

"Oh, that's interesting. Nikki's cousin is pretty involved in the local music scene, some jazz, rap and zydeco. I'm sure he'd be willing to show you around," I offer. I'll have to give Darius a heads up, but he's usually up for more exposure and Chris might be able to help him there.

"Really, that would fantastic. I'm flying a little blind down here, but Patrick's been very convincing that this was the city to find fresh talent," Chris says grinning at my brother.

I take a sip of my drink and tilt my head sure that I'm missing something.

* * *

><p>"Make sure you lock up Bruce," Nora calls over her shoulder. I shake my head and watch her walk towards our home, arms full of the still wrapped presents she got for her birthday. I look at the Cayenne and try to figure out why, when we went shopping and bought the second car, she insisted on calling it Bruce.<p>

I grab the last two bags and shut the trunk. Some things about Nora, even after four years of knowing her, remain a complete mystery. The naming of the vehicles being chief among them.

I let it go as I step inside our home and am greeted by a very happy Mister. He gives a soft woof in greeting and I say, "Hello to you too." Setting the bags on the kitchen counter, I look around and wonder where Nora went. I hear the water run upstairs and have my answer.

Tossing the keys, my badge and small purse in the catch all basket on the kitchen counter I stoop down and scratch the mutt behind the ears. It took us a good six months of testing each other's boundaries, but now Mister and I are on good terms…as long as he keeps out of the closet and doesn't chew up any more of my shoes.

"Why don't we go and see what your mama's up to?" I suggest to the dog. I toss my coat on the back of a kitchen chair and make my way upstairs. Mister following behind.

"Nora, sugga?" I call out.

"Be right out," she calls from behind the closed bathroom door. I shrug and go around the other way to our bedroom.

Mister hops up on the bed, dislodging Reba from her spot among the pillows. I snicker as the cat gives off a plaintive meow before jumping up to the window sill. "Hey, you shouldn't let him push you around," I tell her and stop short when I see what's laid out on the bed.

My mouth screws to the side and I snort.

A hastily written note covers Nora's favorite toy. The note reads, "put me on."

I begin kicking off my sneakers while I hook one finger in the leather harness and lift it up. Had I known I would be committed to a woman that seems to enjoy strap-ons I may have thought twice, but I sigh knowing that it's a little too late. Well, that and I can't say I mind, Nora's surprising adventurous streak in the bedroom keeps me very entertained.

I hear the shower shut off and wonder what exactly she has planned for tonight.

I shrug and drop the harness. It's her birthday and while I was thinking something a little more…no…something with less accoutrement, I will more than happily give in to whatever is going on in that pretty little head of hers.

The bathroom door opens as I'm shimmying out of my pants. My button down blouse open, its tails getting in my way as I bend down and step from my jeans.

As I right myself, I stop short and peruse my lover's damp, naked body. She's still beautiful, filled out slightly, her hips are a little rounder, but Nora Delaney is still the finest specimen of woman that I've had the pleasure of looking at. A faint scar runs across her left thigh. A perp about a year ago thought it'd be fun to try and slice her open. I broke a very nice pair of Fendi heeled boots when I slammed him against the building he was trying to duck in and then into the pile garbage on the alley floor. I should try to talk to the designers about making a pair of heels that will hold up when you jam the heel in between the shoulder blades of a serial rapist.

All in, the loss of the shoes was worth it.

"Nikki, I'd tell you to take a picture, but there's no way in hell, even if you beg, will I pose nude for you," Nora teases and tosses the towel she was using to dry her hair towards the bathroom.

"I do believe," I murmur and step up to her, pressing my panty and bra clad body against her still warm damp naked one, "that I'm entitled to look."

Nora leans in, closing the distance between our lips, and slips her tongue between my parted lips. I rest my hands on her hips and let her steer us. Hands tangle in my hair and she whimpers as I pull back needing to catch my breath. She tastes like mint and herself. I lick my lips and lean down to kiss my way back up her neck.

"You're wearing too many clothes," she whimpers.

I couldn't agree more. I feel the clasp on my bra free as her fingers run along the skin underneath the strap. The straps on my shoulders fall loose and I lean back and let her remove the garment. The next trip her hands take are to my waist, hooking her fingers around the band of my panties, she tugs them down and I step out of them.

"Now, that's so much better." Nora smiles at me, smirking a little as she leads us back towards the bed. "Can I?" she asks, biting her lower lip and looking between me and the harness and toy lying on the bed.

I tuck a strand of hair behind her ear and nod. Her face lights up and she helps me into the harness, centering the toy to make sure the end that fits between my thighs is nestled properly. She blindly works the buckles, securing the leather around my hips while her mouth does some amazing things to my breasts. Her tongue darts out, swirling around my left nipple.

I hold her head in place as she sucks the nub in her mouth, nipping it lightly. Groaning as she releases the flesh, I tilt my head back and give her access to my chest. Her mouth blazes a path up to my neck and then back down to lavish the proper attention on my right breast.

Her hands finally come into play and they slide around the swell of my hips and down to cup my buttocks. She grips my ass tightly and pulls our hips together, the dildo pushing up against her stomach while the end between my legs presses against my clit.

"Fuck," I moan.

"Hmmm," Nora hums, "that was kinda the idea."

Her words spike the tension building between us, but as she drops to her knees, the sight of her looking up at me through her tousled hair 'causes my stomach to drop. I smooth her hair back and scrape my nails across her scalp. She presses into my touch and smiles wickedly.

I tilt my head to the side as she wiggles her eyebrows.

Just what exactly is she doing?

She answers my questioning look as she nuzzles my hips, kissing along the bone and nipping around my belly button. I watch wide eyed and more turned on than I have a right to be as her tongue licks up the shaft of the purple silicone penis then covers the head with her mouth. Nora pulls more of the phallus into her mouth and starts a slow bob.

My eyes cross and my knees grow weak as my arousal ratchets up and slicks the insides of my thighs.

This is certainly new.


	2. Reason Nor Rhyme

**Reason Nor Rhyme**

"I still don't see why we had to come in today?" I protest stepping from June Lee. The wind cuts through the sweater I have on and I reach back into my baby and grab my jacket. Looking over at Nikki I can tell the wind is getting to her too.

"Nor, come on, we're hardly ever in the station anymore. Once maybe twice a week tops." She narrows her eyes at me and I give up. The set of her jaw and brow tell me I'm going to be in hot water if I don't stuff it.

I make a motion to zip up my lips, lock it and pitch the pretend key over my shoulder.

"Besides, Nor, we should probably tell Dan we're making absolutely no progress on any of our open cases." Nikki's head gives a little frustrated shake before we make our way inside and up the steps to the squad room.

Not much of this place has changed since I started in S.C.U. six years ago and I don't suspect that much will change anytime soon. I like having Dan as our boss and keeping Nikki as my partner has been a blessing. As for the rest, I've learned to live with it.

"Well, look what the cat drug in!" Dominic Faunce calls out from across the squad room.

Nikki and I head over to the cluster of desks that give the six detectives of S.C.U. their own space amongst the insanity on the squad room floor.

"Dominic, you saw us on Monday night," Nikki scolds, her hands are on her hips and there's a wide grin across her face.

"True, but Dan's got you two runnin' every which way, but to the station, so…" he trails off on the implication.

Of course he's going to give us shit when he can. If the roles were reversed, I would too. Nikki and I spend maybe eight hours of a fifty hour work week in the station. We've even got used to finishing up paperwork at home. Charlie pulled a few strings and got us VPN access at home.

"What's brought you two in?" Benjamin "Benny" Armstrong asks from the desk across from his partner.

"Our Lieu wanted to talk," I answer Benny. "We'll ignore the fact that we need to make head way on our open cases," I snicker.

Dom gives a snort of laughter, "Dan's getting' soft. You know he's drinkin' tea now?" Dominic shakes his head. "Here I thought only queers and flouncy English guys drank that shit."

Nikki and Benny both cluck their tongues. It's Dom's partner that puts him in his place, "Really, Nic, you gonna sit there and say some shit like that?"

Dominic's face heats up a little, but he gives it right back to his partner, "Look just 'cause you don't give a shit doesn't mean I don't."

Benny rolls his eyes and tosses a crumpled piece of paper up at his partner, "You know," he wags a finger towards his partner, "For as much as you carry on, I wouldn't be half shocked if you didn't mind taking it up the ass." Benny wiggles his eyebrows and lays into him more, "Gettin' the ole prostate massaged may feel kinda good." He shrugs his shoulders and gives an exaggerated shiver.

"Fuck you, Armstrong." Dominic sneers.

"Nah, not my type, Dom. I like my men hung like horses and not afraid to let me know it," Benny winks at his partner and Dom flips his partner off.

Nikki and I exchange looks. Benny and Dominic have always been cool. They've never really came out with anything 'cause most of us just don't talk about it. This exchange…it speaks to something else…Seeing Nikki's reaction, she feels the same. We'll have to catch up later with Benny.

"Delaney! Beaumont! My office is this way detectives," Dan calls out from behind us.

I sigh and turn around. Nikki leads the way to Dan's office and I make a point to slam the door behind me.

Dan and Nikki both wince. "Nora was that necessary?" Dan asks sitting down in his chair.

Nikki and I take our respective seats across from him. I'm on the left, she gets the right.

I just grin.

"Of course," Dan mumbles and shuffles a few folders and papers on his desk to the side. "So how are the cases going?"

"Which ones?" Nikki asks, crossing her legs and resting her clasped hands on top of her knee.

Dan looks up from the folder he was reading over and his eyebrows hike up. "Uh, how about all of them?"

"The double homicide isn't going anywhere. It was a body dump of two transients. Tennessee isn't being too cooperative and hasn't responded to any of our attempts to find next of kin," I answer.

Nikki picks up the other cases, "The attempted kidnapping was handed over to the D.A. We arrested the cousin of the attempted victim. He needed some money and thought that taking his little cousin for a spell would 'cause his uncle and aunt to pony up some money."

"Please tell me you're joking," Dan pleads rubbing his forehead.

"'Fraid not," I answer. "Cousin J.P. has a nasty gambling problem. He was short and his bookie was looking for parts. You can follow up with Mica. He's assigned to the case."

"Shit." Dan mops his face with his hands. "All right and the single and the B & E?"

"You mean the Hoyt case?" Nikki asks. Dan nods. "We have a primary suspect. We're waiting on forensics to confirm and the person of interest, John Kindy, has no way to account for his whereabouts. Nora snagged a piece of his trash to run against the prints that showed up at the scene. We should be closing it out today."

"The B & E is on hold until the son comes back into to town. We need to ask him a few questions and exclude him from the list," I answer.

"Why's he on it?" Dan wonders.

"His prints besides his parents are the only ones there," Nikki tells him, "and the son doesn't live at home. The dad, Neil Rondo, claims the son hasn't been by to see him in weeks."

Dan's eyebrows raise and he bobs his head. "All right. I want you to give the double to Benny and Dom. Hand over Hoyt to Georgia and Jesse. Keep on the B & E and shake up the son." He hands over a folder to Nikki and I lean in as she flips It open to start reading while Dan talks, "I was called in by Vice this morning. You're old partner, Ron Baird, called and asked us to take point on this case."

I read over the case details. Two victims, a brother and sister, Alissa and Owen Knox, ages seven and five. My jaw clenches.

"The kids were at the right place at the wrong time. A drive by occurred at approximately oh-one-fifteen this morning. Baird has been working the neighborhood trying to shake loose a dealer or two from the area. The mom's a known associate of the primary for Baird. Jennifer Knox, age twenty-four, has been known to turn a few tricks. Ron wants us to crack the drive by."

Nikki looks up at him and Dan offers a tight smile. "He asked for you two. He said he wanted you. I agreed."

Nikki nods while I sigh. "We'll bring in the files and catch up the other detectives."

Dan nods and dismisses us, "I'll see you two later."

* * *

><p>I sit in June Lee waiting on Nora to come back from passing off our cases to our other detectives. The engine rumbles underneath the hood and I eye the file for our new case wearily. I hate cases that involve kids.<p>

I can't believe Ron called us out. We'll need to go and see him. If Vice is running an operation, I'd rather not step on any toes or arrest the wrong person. That's happened before, but Baird will give Nora and I full disclosure.

Nora comes jogging out of the station and I grin watching her move. She's in hip huggers, sneakers and a scoop neck sweater that I bought her for Christmas. The faded green brings out her eyes. She opens the passenger side door and climbs in; shoving the jacket she left behind towards the center. "Let's go."

I bob my head and put June Lee in gear. "Where to?" I ask as I pull away from the curb and into traffic.

"I was thinking we should talk to Ron. See what's going on in Vice and why he needed us to work this case." I watch from the corner of my eye as she turns towards me, resting her back against the passenger side door and scoops up the file from the dashboard.

"Sounds good. Anything jump out at you?" I hang a left and head towards downtown where Vice is located.

"The basics that Dan told us." I stop at a red light and look over at her. She's shaking her head.

"What?" I need to know.

"Well, from the basics, this doesn't look like there were any intended targets. Four houses got shot up in the drive by. It just so happened that the kids were in the living room, sleeping on the couch when the shooting started. Knox's house was the first in the line of four to get hit. Jennifer Knox was in the dining room when it happened. "

The light turns green and I direct my attention back to the road.

"I think we should start by finding out who the neighbors were. Reports say that the other three houses were empty. Seems kind of strange. At one in the morning, why would no one be home?" My Nora wonders aloud.

"Okay," I agree. I love the way her mind works as she puts things together. Sometimes I think it's pure dumb luck that she makes these connections, and then others, it seems like she's already got it figured out.

"What do you want to do about the B & E? I think the son's due back in town soon."

"We'll sit on it. You really like the son for this. I think it's a good angle. None of the stolen goods have turned up anywhere and Darius said that there's no chatter about anyone working or casing the neighborhood." Nora slides over to me and sits in the center of the seat. The file goes to her right and her left hand covers my right.

"Report also says that the mom sustained two GSW's and she was taken to La Croix. We should swing by and get an update." Nora fiddles with the radio and settles on my oldies station.

I identify the Otis Redding song and hum softly.

"They think she'll live?"

"Don't know," she answers, "The report's spotty. She took one in the stomach and one in the arm."

I shake my head. "Drive by's usually aren't that precise," I say.

"Hmmm, that's what I was thinking. But why the kids?" Nora's hand tenses and I run a thumb over her knuckles.

"We'll figure it out and let the D.A. sort out the punishment," I try to soothe her.

She is right though this does stink a little too much for my liking.

"You think it'd be okay to ask Dar…" she starts off.

"No," I bark, wincing at my tone. "I…I'm sorry, but I can't Nor."

She pats my arm with her other hand and doesn't say anything else. I don't think she meant anything by it and I shouldn't be this gun shy about asking Darius, but after November…

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought it up," she apologizes. "Nikki you need to stop blaming yourself. It wasn't your fault he got shot at. He's fine and he's safe."

I let go of my lower lip, frowning at the taste of blood. "I know, but he wouldn't have been shot at if he wasn't helping us. It got too close."

She runs her hand through her hair. "I know that too. Dan's taken him off the C.I. lists. Bernie said she'd take care of getting his names off any books that may exist. I want to protect him just as much as you do."

I nod not really wanting to talk about one of the worst days of my life. Darius had been helping us ferret out a new gang that'd been responsible for a host of shootings, robberies and two murders. The members found out Darius was the one asking around and decided to try and shut him up. I had a heart attack when the hospital called to tell me that I needed to come and get him.

"So, we'll go see Ron, go to the hospital and then check out the neighborhood?" Nora outlines.

"Sounds like a plan," I say managing to swallow the lump in my throat.

"Then maybe when we go home, I can draw you a bath," Her fingers walk up my arm and her nail scrapes down my neck, "and get you put to bed. You didn't sleep well last night."

I give a short sarcastic laugh. "Yes well, it's better than not sleeping at all." I send her a pointed look.

She has the good grace to duck her head. "Hmm, I think we could both work on our sleeping habits," she concedes.

* * *

><p>"Avery, Whitacker and Alstadter, I want you three working Corbould. I want someone brought in by the end of the month. Barrett and Harris catch me up on the Gress case?" Ron Baird directs his group of plain clothes officers. Nikki and I stand in the back of the room and watch. Vice is definitely different than S.C.U. Most of the guys working here seem to have more to prove than most and the nature of the unit seems to catch up with a lot of the cops that work it.<p>

I.A.B. had a field day with the unit about a year ago and busted down the then commanding Lieutenant and three officers. Ron's been here a long time and when the axes finally came down, he was promoted to head up the unit. Since then, Vice has done some good work.

Baird's also a good friend of Nikki's which means I have to like the guy. He's been good to me too. I watch as he catches Nikki's eyes while his officers fill him in on the cases that they have open. As Harris finishes up Ron points to the two of us and motions us forward.

"Gentleman, I'd like to introduce you to my old partner, Nikki Beaumont and fellow Detective Nora Delaney," Ron introduces and we get a round of 'hey's.' "I've requested that they join us on the Knox case. They'll be taking the investigation over on the murder of the two children and shooting of the mother. I expect full cooperation. This isn't a pissing contest." He glares at each one of them before turning a smirk our way.

"Let's get going boys, we've got a lot of work to do and I've been getting rode harder than a two dollar hooker over in the Ninth," Ron breaks up the meeting.

"Yeah, yeah," the group chatters.

One cop, I think Ron identified him as Alstadter jokes back, "Yeah, but at least those two buck ponies are a fuck lot prettier than your stinky old ass."

The group busts up in laughter and Ron gives it right back, "Keep it up Danny. Least I can get paid for it. You couldn't get laid if I took you to a whorehouse and slipped 'em some soap."

The detective flips off his boss good naturedly and then departs. Nikki's arms are folded across her chest and she looks her old partner up and down. "Are you ever going to grow up?" she asks.

He stuffs his hands in the pocket of his khaki pants and rocks back on his heels laughing. "Fuck no. Remember, Princess, I tried that and nearly got divorced and lost my job."

"Hmm, that's true." Nikki finally breaks and opens up her arms. He accepts the hug greatly, picking her up and swinging her around to set her down by me.

"Nora, I see you aren't keeping this woman of yours in line." He winks at me and I shake his outstretched hand.

"She can't be kept in line." I bump Nikki's shoulder. "Hell, I can't even get her to fill out paperwork right half the time, let alone do anything else."

Ron rubs at his chin and nods. "That sounds like the Nikki I know."

"I will whoop both of you if you don't quit it," my lover warns.

"Ohhh," Ron wiggles his eyebrows, "Does this mean I get to watch you two?"

My face finally breaks from the frown and I smile, socking the Lieutenant in the arm.

"Ow!" he whines and rubs the spot on his arm, "You've got bony ass knuckles and you hit…"

"If you tell my girl she hits like one, I won't step in when she kicks that scrawny white tail," Nikki laughs.

"I was going to say…" he drawls, "that she hits harder than most of my squad." He makes a face at my Nikki and points to me, "You up for PT training with my detectives? Maybe I can teach them how to throw a punch and not get their asses handed to them by the pricks we drag in here."

"I could, but then you'd have to deal with the reputation of having the squad that got schooled by a little blonde woman," I shoot back.

He taps his chin in thought. "If it keeps 'em alive, I think my manliness can take it. They can start a pissing contest, I usually finish them."

"Oh boy," Nikki says and snags his ear, pinching it between her thumb and index finger. "Come on Baird, before I call _your_ wife. Fill us in on this case so we can find the party responsible." Nikki half drags him out of the conference room towards his office.

She lets him go when we hit the main floor and he takes the lead towards his office. I shut the door behind us and he hops up on top of his desk. "So, Dan did his job and got you the information, what can I fill you in on?" He swings his legs off his desk. I sit in one of the chairs and Nikki stands behind me. Her hands rest on my shoulders and I take my left hand to lace together with hers.

"Yeah," Nikki answers, "We were wondering what there is about this case that's not in the jacket we should know. Do you have anyone in mind?"

Ron bobs his head. "We've got an idea of who may have ordered something, but we don't know why. Something isn't adding up." He leans back and grabs a blue folder, righting himself he hands it over to me. I open it up and Nikki bends down to look at it with me. "The top five photos are of a Darren Brooks. He's been working his way through some of the neighborhoods in our great city. His rap sheet says he's from Columbus, Ohio. Moved here about seven years ago and we think he's been pushing Primos for the past two years now and the shit's getting stronger and stronger. There have been six O.D.s in the past nine months. The stats coming from the Parish aren't reflecting the true numbers. Considering what we see coming and going…it's double maybe triple the stat."

I look over what he's talking about and the chart on the left of the folder runs a graph of methadone clinics and admittance for opiate rehabs across NOLA. The numbers, even if they are under stated, do not look good.

"What's Primo?" I ask out loud. I never worked Vice and did my best to keep out of drug related crimes.

"Primos are cigarettes dipped in heroin," Nikki answers off handedly while reaching over me to flip through the report, "You think Brooks is responsible for the Brown Sugar, Dynamite and," I crane my neck to look at her. Her eyes are large and she's chewing fiercely on her lower lip. "You like him for the Crystal that's been coming through too?"

"I do. He's bad news in a major way, but he's slicker than a fucking gator greased up with Pennzoil. None of the dealers we've bagged will roll on him. No one will," Ron spits.

"So how does Jennifer Knox fit into this?" I need to know.

Looking at Ron, he gives me nothing in body language. He says, "I don't know. Jennifer Knox is a part time hooker, but knows Brooks. Sources put her and him getting chummy over the past few months."

Nikki and I lock eyes. She's thinking what I'm thinking and I don't like it.

"You two carry on anymore and I'm gonna start feelin' left out. Or maybe…you want I should leave you two for five minutes….I don't suspect Nikki takes much longer than that." Ron ribs us and Nikki huffs.

I roll my eyes and wonder why it always comes down to sex with guys.

"I will have you know Ron…" Nikki starts in, but I stop her with a hand on her arm. She always gives in when her prowess is in question.

"We've no time for you to trade insults about who's better in the sack. I've no intention of finding out how Ron performs." I hike an eyebrow at her and she blushes. "You on the other hand are the only one that I care about…performance wise." I wink at her and she blushes.

I take these small victories to heart. Getting her to blush isn't easy. Ron guffaws and coos, "You two just get sweeter every time I have the pleasure of seeing you."

Nikki clears her throat and asks, "Everything we need in here?"

"Yep," Ron gives.

I take that as my signal and stand. "Thanks, Ron," I say shaking his hand. Stepping back, I let Nikki get her hug in and I hear, "Love you Nicollette. Take care of your lady. She's done wonders for my old partner."

"You're getting too soft in your old age," Nikki chides.

He steps back and shrugs. "Just got my priorities right. Call me soon. Maybe you two can come over for dinner soon?"

"Date and time?" I ask. Nikki and I have spent a few nights over at the Baird residence and his wife's a sweet woman.

"I'll check with the wife and get back to you on that," he promises.


	3. The Blonde Leading The Blind

**The Blonde Lead the Blind **

The cold seeps through the cracks of the windows on June Lee causing me to huddle closer to Nora in the dim light provided by the street lamp. Her arm tightens around my shoulders and I look out along the row of houses of Jennifer Knox's neighborhood. At eleven at night, the streets are mostly quiet. The only noise is from a house down towards the end of the street that is playing host to the Saturday night party.

"It's funny," Nora breaks the silence, "we interviewed three neighbors and none of them had the nerve to say a damn thing. I know Missy Shields was holding out on us."

"What did you expect her to say, Nora?" I ask. "That girl had the same look as the other two."

She shakes her head. "Bullshit. We gave them all a chance to take someone that's ruined this neighborhood off the streets. What does she do? She plays deaf, blind and dumb."

I squeeze her knee and sigh. "You make it sound so easy. Like it's this clear choice…"

"How is it not, Nikki?"

I retreat a little, putting some space between us and look her over. A lock of hair has come loose from her ponytail and I reach out to tuck it behind her ear. "Sugga, as much as you want it to be, their world is not black and white. It's muted shades of gray."

Her lips form a nice pout as her arms fold across her chest. She leans back against the driver's door, glaring. "Oh, don't even…"

"Don't even what?" I feel my eyebrows knit together. "Don't say that their choices are more difficult than the one's you have to make? Sugga, I got news for you. They are different. You live in a completely different world than they do."

"Bullshit," she sighs. "I live in the same one they do."

I shake my head. This isn't a new conversation. Actually, it's an argument that we've had on several occasions over the years and I'm not sure how to make her understand…without getting myself pissed off. She has a tendency to do that to me.

"Okay, let's look at it this way, Annie's home life was, as we both know, less than stellar. Drug addicts for parents, abusive family members…"

"She turned out just fine. She's not an addict. She's not a hooker. Ann's an F.B.I. agent. She's got all the excuses in the world to end up just like Jennifer Knox and the others like her in this neighborhood," Nora tries to reason with me.

I nod. "That's true. You are missing one key element to Ann's life that most of these people probably never had."

"And that would be?"

"She also had people that cared about her. She had Lee and Jill and Jill's parents. That made a huge difference in her life. I would bet our bank accounts that some of the people here, like Shields, never had anything like what Ann had. You can't make that type of comparison." I chew on my lower lip and press, "Take away the people around her, what and where do you think she would be? Do you think she would have ended up where she's at? Do you think that she would be the same person today?"

Nora balks, but I continue, "Look, even then, Ann's also as white as the driven snow. Just like you Nora. Just like me. Whether or not you want to believe it that makes a big difference in the doors that open up for people. You may not have come from money, but you're a blonde white girl and that opened doors for you whether or not you want to admit it."

Her face sours at the ideas I'm presenting. "It may be two-thousand-five, but it doesn't mean that things have changed that much. We're less than fifty years removed from the Civil Rights movement. Look at the incarceration rates between whites and blacks and tell me that that doesn't say something. Look around this neighborhood and tell me that that doesn't prove my point."

I press my hand to her chest and take pleasure from the warmth. "If Ann was black, she wouldn't have had the same opportunities."

"What about Darius? His family's poor and black. Why isn't he caught up in stuff like this?" She retorts.

I smirk.

"Darius was. He just found a way to get out of it. He and Erica relied on each other to stay out of it. Again, it was the support system. Mawmaw may also have played a small role. You know that woman does not suffer fools." I take my hand away, resting it between us.

She sighs. "I still think they can make different choices," she mumbles.

"Maybe they can, but are the choices they can make any better than the ones they've already made or just different?" I wonder.

I watch as she shakes her head and moves, wrapping her arm around my shoulders. I let her draw me in and close my eyes as her lips press against my temple. "You feel better having gotten that out of your system?" she asks.

I nod.

"I know the system is messed up Nikki. I just think that they don't do everything that they can to get themselves out of it, white or black or brown or blue or hell, even magenta, the color of their skin doesn't make it different for me," she says gently. "I've heard your soapbox rant before and I don't disagree completely, but at some point, I think that regardless of your situation, you have to quit blaming the system or your parents or whatever for the decisions you've made." Her lips move slowly against my skin, "When are your choices, choices that you own?"

I open my mouth to reply, but am stopped by the ringing of Nora's phone. She slumps against me and picks it up off the dashboard. "Delaney," she answers.

I can't here the person on the other end, but I feel her tense as she nods her head. "Jesus, Bobby, I swear to God, I'm going to ring your neck."

Oh.

This can't be good.

"Don't move. Don't go inside. We'll be there in ten minutes," Nora growls into her phone. She slides away from me and has June Lee in gear, pulling away from the curb before her phone is shut and she tosses it on the empty space between us.

"What was that about?" I ask, buckling my seat belt.

She rolls her eyes and huffs, "Bobby's at the house with my brother and his friend."

My eyebrows hike and I shut up.

* * *

><p>"Bobby," I growl as Nikki and I enter the courtyard to our apartment. I see Patrick and Chris step away from each other as we approach. My other brother, the younger one, the one that I'm going to boot into next week, stands next to the fountain looking like he read my diary…if I ever kept a diary.<p>

Which I don't.

"Hi sis," Bobby tries to smile, "Nikki, always good to see you."

My lover takes the open arms of my brother and wraps him up in a hug.

"Nora," Patrick and Chris say together.

"Nikki, surprised to see you," Patrick says.

Nikki presses her lips together as she steps away from my bother eyeing him up and down.

I close my eyes and press my thumb and index finger against my eyelids. This can't be good.

"Uh, can we, uh, maybe go inside?" Bobby asks.

Nikki looks to me and I shrug. She lets me take point, using my keys to open the door and let everyone inside. I lead us to the living room and ask, "What's going on?"

No one answers as Bobby leans against the wall by the fireplace, Patrick and Chris take up a spot on the couch and Nikki sits on its right arm.

"Actually," Patrick starts, "It's, uh, I have a…"

"Momma's drivin' them up a wall," Bobby blurts out.

My hands go to my hips as I look between my younger and older brother. Nikki's sits there, looking pretty as a picture and keeping quiet.

It's Patrick that stands and steps in front of me. He gives me a smile I haven't seen in years. It was the smile that told me we were sharing something. Usually when I was up to no good and he caught me. He never told.

His hands rise and come to rest on my shoulders. "Uh, I thought maybe, you know, it would be okay if Chris and I crashed here. See," he licks his lips, "We've got a hotel down in the Quarter, which is fine, but Mama won't leave me alone. She wants us to come stay with her until I find…until we find some place."

My head tilts slightly. Eh?

"And," my brother continues, "I thought, well Bobby thought, that maybe since we were in similar boats you would be willing to help me out. Let us stay here to get Mama off my back?"

"What boat would that be?" I ask. I don't know if I want to know what the answer is, but I ask anyhow.

"You should know Bobby can't keep much from me," he chides. "Welcome to the family?"Patrick tries.

"Pat," Chris finally speaks up from the couch.

I shoot a look to Nikki and feel my heart nearly pump out of my chest. She's on her feet waiting.

"What…what in the hell are you talking about?" I manage to choke out.

Patrick's hands drop my shoulders and steps back. "Maybe…" his weight shifts from foot to foot and his hands go into his pants pockets, "I wasn't entirely honest with you the night of your birthday party, Nora. I was asked to retire, I didn't want to."

My arms hug my body and I wait for my brother to continue.

"See, about eight months ago one of my colleagues saw me in the city, downtown San Diego, Chris and I were coming from a launch party for a band he had produced and they held a celebration at a club. I didn't deny the question she asked me," Patrick admits as my head goes a little light. "It took them a few months, but I was given the choice to either retire or get discharged under D.A.D.T. I chose to leave quietly."

So wait…

"Well, that explains that," Nikki pipes up.

I shoot her a look and she just gives me a light shrug.

"Wait, you," I point to my brother and then at Chris, "And you…are?"

"Gay," Patrick states. "Chris and I have been together for a little over nine years."

"Oh," I manage. "Bobby you?"

"Well," my younger brother says, "I just thought that since he…and you were both…ya know. That like, you two could help each other out."

"I think I need to sit," I mumble and manage to hit the recliner before my legs give out.

"Nora," Nikki says from next to me. I look at her and wonder when she got from the couch to the chair.

"I…" I really have no idea what to say here.

"Nora, sugga, say somethin'?" I feel Nikki's hand press against my clammy cheek.

"I'm okay," I say. I think I'm okay.

A small smile forms on Nikki's lips and I think I should be okay with this. I mean, he is and I don't have to worry about his reaction. Obviously he's okay with it.

"I convinced Patrick to move home," Chris interjects, standing next to my brother. "I can do my work pretty much anywhere and I thought having family around would help him."

"Why?" I wonder, finally getting my head to wrap around everything.

"They," Chris stops and gets some type of approval from Patrick before he continues, "They weren't the kindest. It was a good move. He's talked a lot about you and his brothers."

"I'm worried because no one and I mean no one knows. Well, Terry does, but we don't talk much anymore," my brother offers.

Nikki seems to ignore the other people in the room and feel her lips brush my cheek. "Nora, say something a little more. You're worrying me."

My eyes snap in her direction, finding concern reflected back at me. "I'm okay Nikki." I lean in to press our lips together, reassuring her that I am okay. Pulling back I say, "I'm a little shocked, but I…uh, I'm good."

She nods and pushes me over a little to share the recliner with me.

"You ain't gonna kill me?" Bobby ventures.

Nikki answers for us, "Not yet, Delaney, but the night's still young."

He blanches a little.

"So what do you say, Nora? Can me and Chris stay here? Help me out with our mother?" Patrick asks again.

"Well, uhm, it's not just my decision." I look at Nikki and open my mouth to ask right before something hits the floor upstairs and Reba screeches.

"Mister!" Nikki barks as we hear our dog clomp down the steps. I watch as he trots into the living room a purple piece of fabric hanging from his jaws. "That better not be…" Nikki's out of the chair and snatches the garment from Mister. She holds up my bra. The purple lace one Nikki bought me two weeks ago. "That's it. Nora, I swear, I'm gonna make a coat out of your dog."

A smile starts to creep up my face. Nikki stands there with my bra in her hands. Patrick and Chris look back and forth between us as Bobby plays with Mister. I laugh. I can't help it.

"So's that a yes?" Chris asks. "And you two live together?"

"Nor, you okay with that?" Nikki asks.

"Uh, yeah, if Nikki doesn't mind," I answer. "And yes, we live together."

"Ah!" Chris pumps his fist into the air. Pouting, Patrick fishes his wallet out of his back pocket and hands his lover a twenty. Chris holds the money up and flicks the side of it. "I told you."

"I'll get that back," Patrick promises.

"Wait, what?" Nikki points at the money.

Chris offers us a wide smile and explains, "I bet your brother that you two were together the night we came to town. He said bullshit and then bet me twenty when I said that you two were also living together."

I point to Patrick. "I'm gonna kick your ass."

He shrugs. "Bobby told us you were gay. Didn't say who with or if you were living with someone." His eyes twinkle and I shake my head.

"Go check out of your hotel," I tell him.

* * *

><p>I hit the button on the remote for the tailgate on Bruce and watch as the gate goes up. Chris grunts behind me as he lugs two large suitcases to the back of the SUV. I still don't know why I came along if he wasn't going to let me help.<p>

"Are you sure I can't lend you a hand?" I ask for the third time.

"Nope," he pants. "Just thanks for letting us stay at your place." He heaves one suitcase and then the other into the cargo space and shuts the lid.

Smirking, I get into the driver's seat and wait for him to climb in and buckle up. I drum my fingers along the steering wheel and ask, "So, where is all of your stuff? I'm sure you didn't leave everything in California."

"The movers will be here tomorrow afternoon. One forty foot truck along with our cars." He shrugs. "We had thought about just driving everything out, but then Patrick's mom called and told him about Nora's birthday party and we thought why not."

"Hmm," I say and head towards home, joining the flow of traffic away from the Quarter.

"So," he says.

So…

"So what?"

"I don't know," he admits, casting me a nervous smile. "It seems like I should say something, ya know profound, but all I can think of to say sounds annoying even to me."

I let my smile break through and laugh.

"Thanks, that's a real comfort," he whines.

I reach over and pat the man's knee. "I think we'll get along just fine, Chris." I wiggle my eyebrows at him and he blushes. "Tell me about you, I'm not sure how long you and Patrick are planning on staying and I think that manners dictate I know a bit more about you."

"Not much to tell really. I'm a record producer from the mean streets of Pasadena. Patrick and I met about nine years ago and have been together ever since." He gives another off handed shrug.

"Brothers? Sisters? Family?" I ask, thinking this is like milking a suspect.

"Mom. That's about it. What about you... and how long have you and Nora been an item?" He turns the tables on me.

"My dad and kouzin' with some extended family here and there. Nora and I…" I chew on my lower lip. "Let's see, I transferred in to S.C.U. in…hell, four years?" I venture.

"You can't be serious?" Chris' voice incredulous.

"Look, I don't have much of a head for dates. I think it was Oh-One. So goin' on four years, I'm pretty sure." I sigh. Nora's gonna kill me.

I swear I need to start keeping track of this kinda stuff. We come to a stop at a red light and I debate banging my head off the steering wheel…that really won't get me anywhere.

"Nora is the one that remembers things like that," I moan. "She's got odd anniversaries and what not. Like every year I get a present for the day we became partners and then a present for the day we got together. There's also one for an anniversary of ours that for the life of me I can't remember, but she doesn't mind."

"And I thought Patrick was bad. It took him two years to remember our anniversary," Chris says. "But you…I would kill you if you couldn't after four years, if that's even the amount of time you and Nora have been together."

I run a hand through my hair and bob my head. "Yeah, my girl seems to just suffer."

I signal over and pull into a free parking space in front of our building. I look around and see Bobby's car is gone. He must have gone home.

I kill the engine and follow Chris around to the back where I don't ask if he needs help. Instead, I hit the latch on the door and grab the first suitcase I see. He begins to protest, but the look I send him shuts him up.

A long suffering sigh escapes him while I wait with the luggage in hand to lock up Bruce. Now, I know I'm not completely up to date on chivalry, but I don't think it's changed all that much. I understand the roles are reversed, but there's really no sense in having him damage his back because of pride.

"Nora?" I call out as we enter the apartment. Mister comes trotting over wagging his tail. I narrow my eyes and shoo him away. I'm still upset about that bra. It looked so nice on Nora and the matching underwear were delectable.

Nora and Patrick both enter the foyer and look between me and Chris. I turn around and stifle my laugh. The poor man's face is beat red as he drops the suitcase on our tile.

Patrick just shakes his head and picks up both suitcases with ease. "These are going where?" he asks.

"Guest bedroom off the living room," Nora answers. "And you can call Mama tomorrow and let her know where you're staying."

"Thank God. Maybe then I can get some peace and we can start looking for a house," Patrick says over his shoulder while the three of us follow him. He sets the luggage at the end of the bed and turns to Nora. "Actually, Huggy, that's something that I wanted to talk to you about."

"Huggy?" I ask. I had heard him call Nora that before, but it didn't seem like the place to ask.

Patrick's grin widens and he shakes his finger at his sister. "You mean, your lady doesn't know?"

"Patrick," Nora grinds out.

The ex-marine's eyebrows dance up and down and he laughs. "Oh, Nora Marie, this is going to be so much fun." He slings an arm around her shoulder and draws her into a hug. "You know, I was really worried when I came back home. I mean Terry…he won't talk to me much anymore and I know I should have called more or came to visit…but…"

"I get it," she offers her brother as they lead us back to the living room.

"I think though, once Mama knows it'll be better. I'm so tired of hiding. I missed my family," Patrick says after letting Nora go and grabbing Chris pulling him into his lap on the couch.

Nora stops midstride and turns around to her brother. "What do you mean when Mama knows?" My partner's eyes narrow and her hands go to her hips.

Oh no.

Surprised, Patrick explains, "You can't expect me not to tell her. She was pleasant to Nikki at your birthday party. They carried on well enough. Mama can know about Chris. I need to tell her. I'm tired of hiding."

"No, no, no," my Delaney growls. "Mama is to not know and for the record, she doesn't know about Nikki. She knows that Nikki's my work partner, that's all. That's all I ever intend for her to know too."

The words poor from her lips and I clamp my eyes shut. The many discussions Nora and I have had about this very topic coming up in my memory. Her tone and words bite more than I'd like them to. The sudden tears in my eyes get wiped away before anyone, especially Nora has a chance to notice.

"Nora, seriously, Mama doesn't know about Nikki?" Patrick let's Chris move to his side as he sends a reproachful look to his sister. "You two live to together for fuck's sake!"

Nora closes her eyes and snips, "I know that. But Mama can't know. She'll freak out and she won't be able to handle it."

"Bullshit," Patrick snaps, standing and getting in front of his sister. "Since when the hell have you, you of all people Nora Marie Delaney, gave a shit what anyone, especially our parents, thought?"

"Things change," she clips.

"Not that." I wince as his hands close around her upper arms. I should step in, but…

Maybe, just maybe, Patrick can reach her more than I can here. Maybe I'll finally get my way.

"When the hell'd my baby sister turn into such a chicken shit?" he fumes. "I mean, I know why I haven't. The one time our dad even suspected, I got the living shit kicked out of me, but he's gone and ya know what, Nora, I'm done fucking hiding. I just can't believe that you would."

Nora rips away from him and growls, "Shut your mouth. I'm done. It's late. I'm going to bed." She says nothing more before practically running out of our living room and up the steps to our bed.

I stand and offer, "Extra towels and blankets are in the hall closet. Goodnight you two."

I hit the stairs and hear her up there slamming cabinet doors around. My back straightens and I steel myself for the upcoming argument.

I don't go through the bathroom, where she is. Instead, I go around and begin stripping. My gun and badge come off and are placed in their usual spot on top the low dresser. Shoes, jeans and shirt are all piled next to the over flowing clothes hamper next to the cracked bathroom door.

Not bothering with pajamas, I take off my bra and slip under the covers in only my panties, thankful that I didn't bother with makeup this morning. Pulling the covers up, I link my hands together and bring them to the back of my head for added support.

I watch the shadows from under the bathroom door and wait on Nora. It doesn't take long for the light to flick off and for her to stomp across the room to her side of the bed.

"Nora?" I try.

I wait a minute before I hear a gentle, "What?"

Tentatively, I reach out and find her hand waiting for mine in the middle of our bed. "Sometimes, sugga," I say as gently as possible, "some promises should be broken." She doesn't let go of my hand but she does tense, I can feel her coil up all the way across the bed. I press, "Sometimes it is tiring hiding."

"What do you mean?" she hisses in the darkness of our sanctuary.

I sigh and let her hand go. My eyes shut tight as I say, "Nora, I love you. Sometimes I get tired…of the secrecy, of the lies, but I can't blame you any more than I can blame myself. I agreed to this when we got together four years ago. I'm in this. I may not like all of it, but there's more good than bad and I'm way in over my head. I just think you need to rethink things." I don't hear a response as I roll over and draw my legs to my chest.


	4. I Let Your Heart Down Again

Ch. 4 – I Let Your Heart Down Again

My eyes snap open and I feel more than see that I wake up in the exact same position I fell asleep in; legs drawn up with my arms folded around them. I let them go and push my hands towards the head board and my feet south, reveling in the feel of my muscles going taught. I relax and roll over, prepared to soothe Nora.

As I turn over, I expect to still see her lying there, but instead am faced with a hastily scribbled note:

"_Went to clear my head, see you at 8:30 – Nora" _

My chest rises, drawing in a deep breath. I push it out through my nose and set the note back down.

Goddmanit!

Sitting up, I swing my legs to the floor and reach for the robe on the end of the bed. My mouth screws to the side as I enter the bathroom. There are really only a few places Nora would go…do I go after her? I turn the shower on and test the water. Satisfied with the temperature, I clip my hair up, brush my teeth and step into the shower.

The water's nice and hot as I step into the spray, but I take no real joy in it. Going through the basic cleansing rituals, I shut the shower off and reach for my towel. I just don't get it. Nora's better than this. I know it.

But…it's just this one area that she's intent on falling short on. She won't budge, not even a little and the little bit I press, which isn't very often, she just draws up more. I find a pair of slacks and a green button down blouse, panties and bra for the day.

Dressed, I look at the left wall of the closet. I need shoes. I sigh and pull out the latest pair of Vanetta ballet flats that will match my shirt. Slipping them on, I remove the clip, shake out my hair and run my hands through it. I grab my gun and badge and make my way downstairs.

The soft chatter startles me for a second before I remember that Patrick and Chris are now our house guests. Mister sits at the bottom of the steps, wagging his tail happily. I stop and give the mutt a few scratches behind the ear before I step into the kitchen.

"Good Morning you two," I try for pleasant this morning, despite the fact that it feels like I've been up for a few days and got the living shit kicked out of me during that time.

"Morning," the two lovers parrot back.

Mister gives a soft woof and I shake my head. "All right. Hold your horses big guy, we'll get you breakfast," I chide the impatient mutt.

"No need," Patrick tells me. "I've already taken him out and fed him."

I turn around. "Wow," glancing at the clock, I see it's really only seven-thirty, "How long have you been up?"

"Five. Went for a run and came back and took care of Mister. He's a good dog," Patrick coo's at the very end, scratching behind the dog's ears.

I roll my eyes. "Is this a Delaney thing? Bobby turns into a big pile of goo every time he comes around and Mister wants attention."

Patrick just nods. "We're dog people. I'm looking forward to getting a few once we get settled."

"Uh," Chris cuts in, "Wait a second here. I don't remember that conversation."

Patrick just smirks as I sip my coffee.

"That's because you were talking about children and I was talking dogs," the marine answers.

"We both agreed adoption once we were settled here," Chris says looking for confirmation from his partner.

Patrick gives a long suffering sigh and says, "If I must fulfill your weird need to rear children, then so be it if it means keeping you, but we're still getting dogs."

"Fine, but I swear if you get one of those froufrou, queer tiny things, I'm leaving you and shacking up with our pool boy," Chris teases.

"I swear if you get any gayer you'll straighten yourself out." Patrick gives it back to him and I suppress the laugh. It's not too hard this morning.

"Where's my sister?" Patrick causally asks.

"Out," I answer, "I'm going to go get her. We have a few open cases and no time to waste. So if we're home before midnight, be shocked." I finish off my cup of coffee and turn towards the side of the fridge where a spare set of house keys are hanging. I unhook them and slide them across the kitchen island. "The one with the blue ring around it is for the front door; the other is for the side doors. If you leave, it's okay to leave Mister. He's good about being left in."

Chris nods and Patrick plays with the rim of his coffee cup. The look of uncertainty he wears I've seen on my own lover. It causes me to stop and ask, "What?"

Patrick startles and looks up rather sheepishly. "I just…" His lips purse for a brief moment before I recognize the internal look of 'fuck it' and he says, "Look, I know it's not really my place and I thank you and when I see my bull headed sister, I'll thank her too. I'm sorry for stirring the hornet's nest last night. I didn't know."

He takes a sip of coffee and continues, "I was, we were quite happy in the hotel, but Bobby found out and my brother's a nice guy, maybe not too bright though. He thought it'd be a good way for Nora and I to bond or whatever." He sighs and rubs a hand over his short hair. "It seems like where I've had a few dozen therapy sessions to get over my internalized homophobia, Nora hasn't."

I swallow past the tightness in my throat and chest to say, "Look, I appreciate the apology, but Nora's not. She has her issues, I'll give you that, but it's not your place…" I back my lover up.

Patrick's upturned hand causes the rest of my words to die before they reach my lips. "Nikki, it's wonderful that you're supporting her." He shuts his eyes briefly and shakes his head. They pop open and he looks at me. "It's not like I don't know the shit my dad said. Every other night, he'd have his friends over, his comrades in arms; they'd sit around and get real loud…the shit they said some nights. Our dad…he was a good ole boy in every sense of the word. Sometimes, I don't think he knew he was saying half the shit that came out of his mouth."

"Baby," Chris says gently, resting a hand on his lover's shoulder.

Patrick shoves it off and he keeps staring at me. "I can understand why Nora has the hang ups she does. She was always a daddy's girl. If he said anything to her…if he did something…it'll take an act of God for Nora to go against her father's wishes." He finally breaks our eye contact and looks down in his coffee mug.

"Nora and I have done just fine, Patrick. She's got her reasons and I respect them," I say shortly. "You two have a good day." I grab Bruce's keys off the counter and head out to find my wayward lover.

It's one thing I've always liked about the punching bag…it doesn't matter what kind of mood you're in it just takes whatever you dish out. This morning my knuckles burn, my wrists burn, my hands throb and sweat drips into my eyes, stinging me that much more.

I duck left and lead in with my right, a solid hit to the middle of the old, Duck Taped equipment. There aren't many people here this morning which is nice. I can ignore the looks and turn down the occasional jerk that tries to pick me up.

It's a gym, I remind them, not a fucking night club.

Duck, swing up, upper cut. My knuckles skim along the edge of the bag and drag. Even under the tape and the wrap and the gloves, I feel the bruising.

I drop back and picture my brother, standing in front of me. I spin around and Patrick's face turns into my dad's right as the kick lands high on the bag. I bite my lip against the sting, immediately turning around and landing a series of punches to my therapist.

My watch goes off as I throw one last left-right combo.

Fuck.

I really don't want to leave.

But I need to.

I told Nikki I'd find her at eight-thirty. It's eight. I have just enough time to go shower and make good on my note.

I don't know if she'll really want to see me.

I walk over to my bag and use my teeth to undo the gloves. I spit the first one, salty and stale, out of my mouth. It lands palm side up as my left hand tears my right glove off. I watch as it falls against its mate. I unwrap my hands and flex my fingers; slightly swollen, they strain against the sports tape. I look at my left hand. Some red seeped through.

Shit.

Nikki's gonna be pissed.

See…I just…I shouldn't.

We've done so good the past few years. I know it's been hard. For her. For me too.

I rip the tape off and the skin that was broke goes with it. It opens the cut a little further causing fresh blood to pool and trail down my knuckles. The skin on both hands is battered and a purple-green color.

I growl and snatch my bag off the bench.

I don't bother cleaning my hand; I just grab a towel and my shower kit from my bag, take the first open stall and shut the curtain. Stripping off my clothes, I turn the water on as hot as it will go and stick my hand underneath the meager spray. I watch the blood mix with the water, swirling and turning pink, its existence being camouflaged by the dark blue and green tile of the shower stall.

I follow my hand and get wet all over, get soapy and rinse off quickly. I'll be cutting it close this morning as is. Taking a little over five minutes for me to finish up in the shower, I grab my towel and wrap it around me, heading towards the bench where I left my bag.

Nikki sits there, a fresh set of clothes for me resting on her lap. Her legs are crossed and she looks patient and not angry. It causes me to falter briefly.

Unable to meet her gaze, I look at the floor as I walk to the bench.

She says nothing and I say nothing. I'm not sure if this is one of her games to see who will break first.

Honestly, I'm too ashamed to say much of anything. All I really want to do is curl up in her lap and apologize, make false promises and lies.

I can't though, because she would know.

She would know and then I couldn't hide anymore.

Fucking Patrick.

He was right. I'm scared. I hate that I'm scarred and one day, maybe sooner than I'd like to think, Nikki's going to quit ignoring it and get sick of it.

Then it'll be me and maybe Mister will go with me…

I think he'll stay with Nikki though.

I dress quickly, running a brush through my damp hair before pulling it back into a pony tail. With one last tug at the white t-shirt Nikki handed me, I slip my gun and badge onto my belt and zip my bag up, sling it over my shoulder and head towards the exit.

Nikki follows silently.

She always has. It never mattered if she got hurt in the process. She trusts me with it all.

Why can't I trust her?

Tears sting my eyes as I toss my bag in the back of June Lee and hand Nikki the keys, I don't really feel up to driving.

Nikki accepts the duty I've given her and gets behind the wheel. She takes off and hangs the first right she can, pulling the car over in an alley behind the gym. Saying nothing as she kills the engine, she leans over me.

A little confused, I watch as she locks the passenger side door and unscrews the latch, slipping the small piece of metal into her jacket pocket.

Oh boy.

I don't take comfort in her first words to me since last night, "I'm going to talk and you, love, are going to listen." She looks straight ahead. Her hands grip the steering wheel.

"I love you. You need to remember that, but you know what I did this morning? I defended you to Patrick. I defended you and the lies we've built together to a man that lost his career for doing what you won't." Nikki shakes her head and a tear slips free, I watch it make its way over the hill of her cheek and slopes down to follow the line of her jaw.

"I walked out of our home this morning and realized how fucked up that actually was." Her lips press together. "I know you're scared baby. I know you're angry. At the situation…at what we've done to ourselves. Mostly though, I think you're angry at yourself." Her chest rises, but it does not fall. She holds the breath tightly.

"I know I'm just as culpable for our life as you are. I told you last night that to have you was the most important thing. That has not nor will it change, but Nora, we're being given a chance here. A choice that can make us less of a dirty little secret and even more, something to be proud of."

Her chest has fallen; her shoulders are slumped as she finally looks at me. "And it is something I'm proud of. I love being with you. I love the person you are, the grumpy detective with a quick wit and loyal to a fault. The person you only allow me to see, the grumpy detective with a quick wit and a romantic streak a mile wide. I love the person that shows me she loves in a million little ways, letting me sleep a little later on our days off, making sure I have a cup of coffee and a bite to eat before I leave for work and your fount of patience with my slight addiction to footwear."

I knew I would find her at the gym. It's actually a comfort to me too. I don't need to worry about her finding a bar to get drunk in or something else ridiculously self-destructive, like something I would do. Nope, she goes to the gym. The evidence of her assault on the equipment this morning glares at me from her hands resting in her lap but I decide to let that ride.

I hope my words make sense to her.

Running a hand through my hair, I continue to study her hands, resisting the urge to reach out and soothe the angry skin with my touch. I don't want to be weak here. I can't afford to be. Somehow, someway, it feels like I'm fighting for us.

"I don't think," she starts out softly, "that I ever intended for it to go this far." She looks out the side window at the brick wall. I can't help but wonder what she actually sees. "I was way in over my head with Ann. I knew that. I think that's why it was easy for me to push her into Jill's arms."

"Well, besides the fact that they were in love," I say lightly. This causes a brief smile from my Nora and a tip of her head in agreement.

"Yeah," she sighs, "there was that small fact. But with you Nikki, you kinda broke me. All I wanted was to be with you…but there's this other stuff. My family, for one, but something else. I can't…" Her eyes shut tight and this time I do reach out and take away a tear I see making its way down her cheek. "I was happy with only wanting to be a cop, a good cop, but still…then you just sort of show up and annoy the piss out of me because over the last few years, I've come to find out that being cop _is_ important, but not _the most_."

She finally looks at me and offers this morose sort of smile, "Part of me hates that it's you. You and us are the most important and I hate that because…"

"It makes us weak," I whisper, knowing exactly what she's saying. I've felt the same way.

My Nora nods. "I think having Patrick here will help. Next to Bobby, he's my favorite," she smiles a little more, this time less sadly, "I need…I'm just not sold on telling mama yet. My brother may help."

"You need more time…" Running my fingers through my hair I close my eyes and find patience. From where I don't know, but it's there. I also find the compulsion to add to my acquiescence, "This clock's been ticking a few years Nora." Shaking away my unease, I say, "Ya know, Patrick thinks that part of your reluctance is 'cause of your father. He said, 'internalized homophobia'." I shrug. "Maybe he's right."

"Bullshit," she spits.

I look at her and study the fierce green of her eyes. "I don't know, sugga, there may be a small element of truth to that. It's lessened some, since we've been together, but for some reason, you always stop yourself from doing the things you really want." I try to reach out and take her hand, but she pulls away from me, pushing back against the passenger door. "You manage to squeak by with the barest."

"Since when the hell did you become a fucking shrink, Nik?" Nora asks folding her arms across her chest. "What didn't you understand about what I just said? I just said the only thing I need is you. Nikki that's all I want and I thought I was doing everything I'm capable of to show you that."

Sadly, I shake my head. She's sweet, my Nora, but she's wrong. I tell her as much. "It's a grand notion, Nora, it's romantic and completely you. I love you for that…but it's bullshit." I press a finger to her lips stalling the protest there. "We need other people in our lives. We need the parents that are still around. We need your brothers and friends. If it was just you and I, sugga, we'd have ended way before we ever began. We need these people and it's unfair to them, just as much as it's unfair to us to keep them in the dark about us." I draw a breath before I say my final peace, "It's really unfair to your mother. I don't think Nancy would be as adverse to everything as you think."

She brushes my hand away to enforce the idea that she holds firmly too, "You don't know my mother and you have no idea what this would do to her."

I bite my tongue and press my lips together. Bobbing my head, I fish out the button to the passenger door lock and had it over. Starting the engine, I manage, "Yeah, I really don't."


	5. In The Winding Down Hours

**In the Winding Down Hours**

You can't live with and work with someone without getting into your fair share of disagreements or fights. Nora and I have definitely had our fights. So we've learned to drop back – compartmentalize for whatever occasion we've found ourselves in so we can focus on the issue at hand.

The current issue is now the _triple_ homicide that we were handed. Jennifer Knox coded this morning. Her death didn't help the tension between my Nora and me. So as she pulls over in front of the Knox residence we are setting aside the hurt and anger between us to focus on finding the S.0.B.'s responsible.

I step from the car, ballistics report in hand, as Nora shuts off the engine before joining me on the sidewalk and we head up to the nondescript front door. It looks like the rest of the houses on this block except for the crime scene tape and bullet holes. We put on blue nitrile gloves and I stand back to let Nora cut through the tape and push the door open.

"All right," I say, hoisting the report I brought in front of us, "Benton was responsible for taking care of this so…"

"If you say he hooked us up 'cause he wants in my pants, Nicolette, so help me, I will pop you," Nora cuts off the jibe she knew was coming her way.

I cluck my tongue and tease, "We both know it's true. sugga, how many times have we caught him staring at your backside? It works for us and it's not like I can fault him any. You do have a wonderful derriere. "

Her arms fold across her chest and she scowls at me. "Aren't you supposed to be pissed at me right now?"

I shrug. She does have a point, but it's no reason to lie to her. "I am and we are not okay yet, Nora, but I will not deny I love your ass and the rest of the body it's attached to. You just happen to be working on a very exhausted nerve."

As expected, she rolls her eyes at me and asks, "What did Benton tell us?"

I let her refocus the reason for our visit and go back to the report in my hand. "They identified the weapons of choice – two AK-47's. Benton didn't get a total count but he's estimating three hundred rounds in the fifteen second assault."

"You think the N.R.A. would be pissed if we all went back to muzzle loaders?" Nora snickers then pinches her lower lip between her teeth and rests her hands on her hips.

I step deeper into the house making note of where the shots hit. The bullet holes in some areas are ragged and savage looking and others, through the dry wall, just look like holes poked in rice paper with a sharp pencil. In the living room, congealed blood stains the couch and floor. Nora breaks off and heads toward the dining room while I look at the markers indicating where the body of each child came to rest. The back of the couch is peppered with holes.

Jennifer Knox's children never had a chance in hell.

I bite the inside of my cheek and hear Nora ask, "Charlie give any indication when he would do the posts on the kids?"

"Nope. We can swing by later if you like," I offer, tucking the report into the small of my back and crouching down by the coffee table to inspect a bullet that is still lodged in the wood.

"We can't. We have that interview for the B and E to follow up on." I hear her voice get louder as she speaks.

I peek over the back of the couch and see her standing in the archway separating the dining room and living room. Her hands rest on her hips that tongue of her's planted firmly in her cheek. She's thinking about something.

"What?" I ask standing and brushing my pants free of the debris that litters the floor.

"Knox was definitely the intended target," she states, her green eyes sweeping around the room.

"That would make the most sense, but I want to know why?" I counter.

Nora gives me a shrug. "Fell in with the wrong crowd?"

My lips purse and then I snip, "That's a load of horse manure. The Intel Ron gave us points to Knox still on Brooks' good side, what's the advantage of killing either someone that's bringing you in money or someone that is still considered a friend or for that matter, my money's on a lover?"

I fold my arms across my chest and press the point, "Besides the fact that we're considering the two children that died collateral damage in this…" my arms drop and I can't help the annoyance, "Combine the kids and the overkill we see…"

"There's more to this than what Ron thinks is going on," my partner finishes.

I nod. "I also think you're right. Someone saw something or knows something."

Leaning against the wall, Nora bobs her head. "Agreed, but we've been through the neighborhood twice and no one is saying anything."

Sighing, I scratch the top of my head, mindful of the way the gloves I'm wearing tend to pull at my hair. "We need to shake things up around here. We can try going after Brooks. See if he will talk to us."

Nora's mouth screws over to the side, considering my idea. I watch as the muscles in her jaw flex. "Let's take a quick sweep of the neighborhood and then come back a little later, maybe after dinner."

I agree and head for the door. There has to be something we can do to shake these people up maybe between now and when we come back we'll have an idea of what we can do.

* * *

><p>Switching gears from one case to another has always been a problem for me. My mind gets stuck at looking at one particular problem, or maybe it's a set of problems for one case, and I pick at it, twisting, pulling at it until something finally shakes free. When Nikki and I were first partnered, I gave her the standard, 'wanna help people and it's the family business' line.<p>

It wasn't completely untrue…

What the real answer is, is that I like the challenge of figuring it out.

Right now, between everything that's going on, I wish I could figure out a way to make things right with Nikki.

I look out of the windshield and see her talking with Georgia. Running a hand through my hair, I sigh. It's not like I don't know what can be done. I just don't know if it's worth what will happen if I do.

I failed my dad on every conceivable level…I can't do that to my mother.

"June Lee didn't do anything to you Nora," Nikki teases me as she slips into the passenger seat.

I stop banging my head off the back window and look at her.

Usually when she pokes fun at me, I can see amusement reflected back at me. Not right now.

I shake it off. We'll work it out…we have to.

"What did Georgia say?" I ask trying to get my mind back on the job.

"Ross Courtney is back in town and she also gave us this," Nikki says holding up a folder.

She passes it off to me and I open it. Seeing the photos that were found at the scene, I shrug. "And…?"

I look back down at the pictures of Mr. Ken Courtney in a very compromising position with someone who does not come close to resembling his wife, Audrey. The pictures replaced the items in the safe of the Courtney home when it was broken into and robbed. Mr. Courtney says that that's not him and he has no idea who the woman is.

"The pictures are fake," Nikki reveals, "Georgia put in the report from her friend over at the lab. He gave us a fifteen point marker on how to tell they're fakes. He did say that the person who did it, didn't do a half-bad job." Her hand waves dismissively as she adds, "Something about shadows and lighting. Kinda went right over my head."

I press my lips together and bob my head. I was wrong, Ken isn't a cheating bastard. Maybe when we give him the news, he and his wife, who moved out since the robbery, will be able to patch things up.

"Good for him," I say.

"Eh?" Nikki asks, repositioning herself so that she's leaning against the door.

"Just that," I say waving the folder around before tossing it on the dashboard, "I would have pegged him for a philandering prick, but he's not."

My partner clucks her tongue and smirks, "At least not in this instance." She waits a beat before adding, "He's probably clean. We should give the man the benefit of the doubt."

My eyebrows hike at this.

"Well," she tries to explain, "He was genuinely shocked when we got to the scene and he was pretty upset that the missus promptly took off until he 'sorts out his shit' as his wife put it. Also, Georgia says we're square."

"How does she figure?" I ask. "How does picking up her and Jesse's swing shift for Christmas make us square?"

She smiles at this, the first genuine smile I've gotten in a while, and she shrugs, "Apparently, getting those analyzed with a five day turnaround cost her tickets to the Tennessee L.S.U game next month."

"Ouch," I joke, "She was pissed wasn't she?"

"She didn't take too kindly to it, but I'll agree with her that we're square," Nikki relents and I agree.

"So, let's go see if we can talk to junior. Maybe their son can shed some light on the break in," I say starting up June Lee. She growls to life and Nikki rights herself in the seat to buckle up.

"Considering his prints are the only other ones that were found at the scene…" Nikki trails off.

I pick up, "And mom and dad both stated the son hadn't been to visit them since Christmas…"

"And he was never in his daddy's locked study…"

"Junior will have some explaining to do," I finish.

"Darius left me a voicemail, by the way, said that nothing on the list that we handed him surfaced from the robbery. If Ross doesn't pan out, we're going to have some problems."

I pull out into traffic and head over to the restaurant that Ross Courtney works at. "The case is a week old. We'll have to find some new angle."

"Don't remind me, Nora dear. We'll figure it out," she says.

Yeah, we will.

We usually do.

* * *

><p>June Lee lets out a groan of protest as I slam her into park. For good measure, I slap the steering wheel. I swear to God Nora could make a preacher cuss!<p>

It would be fine if she talked about it. It would be okay if she didn't tense up when we're in public and I brush against her. It would be fine if she just grew a set and finally came clean!

My head drops against the steering wheel. Tears sting my eyes and it does nothing but raise my hackles that much more.

I didn't want to fight, that's not why I asked if she knew when Patrick was planning on talking to Mrs. Delaney. I was curious. Nora, on the other hand, decided that the question warranted a temper tantrum on our way out of seeing Charlie. I just wanted to divert our attention from the information Charlie gave us. I wanted to talk about anything but the children that our friend just put back in the cooler.

So instead of giving me a chance to explain, Nora spouts off and high tails it away from me. Leaving me with June Lee and no idea where in the Sam Hill she went off to.

My forehead thumps against the steering wheel again, this time a little harder. I open my eyes and watch a few tears splash on to the column of the steering wheel. Drawing in a shuddery breath, I blink and raise my head.

I wasn't even paying attention to where I was going. Jennifer Knox's neighborhood isn't quiet tonight. Lights are ablaze in the windows of the houses and one house towards the end of the street thumps from the bass of music playing.

Two kids. Two dead kids who didn't have a shot in hell in the first place.

Dead.

My grip on the steering wheel tightens. Charlie confirmed today that both children showed signs of physical and sexual abuse. Both children were underdeveloped and malnourished.

I didn't want to talk about it when we stepped out into the cool evening. I wanted to talk about anything but that.

I slump back in my seat, taking the neighborhood in. Seeing it like this. Alive at night. I know someone had to see something.

The house with the party is only a block up, but I crank the engine over anyway to drive up. Before putting my foot on the gas, I watch a steady stream of people move in and out of the house. Some stick around the front porch and yard and others disappear into the surrounding houses.

They have to know something.

I hit the gas and take off down the street, I hit the curb of the sidewalk and go over it, throwing the car in park, she sits half on the sidewalk and lawn and half on the street.

A few shouts of protest fall on deaf ears as I slam the driver's side door and stalk up to the porch.

I pay no mind and shake off a hand that tries to grab my upper arm. Blood rushes through my ears and before I know it, my guns drawn and I'm shoving it in the face off a very large angry looking white guy. The blue du rag covers long dirty blonde hair.

His hands rise to his sides as I shoulder him out of the way and step inside. There are a dozen people, some women, but mostly men sitting around the living room. My nose crinkles at the pungent aroma coming from the three blunts pinched between three different sets of hands. All of their eyes zero in on the badge at my hip then the gun in my hand.

My eyes search for the stereo banging out ridiculously loud rap. I don't mind the music so much, but I am quite objectionable to the level it's being played at. My trigger finger twitches, but I immediately squash the urge to just shoot the blasted stereo. Instead, I stalk over and rip the cords from behind the unit.

Silence reins as I spin around on the heel of my Steve Madden's. I let an easy smile spread across my face and say, "Good evening."

One guy about my height, with mixed ethnicity and more muscle than brains stands up and hollers, "Bitch, are you outta your mind? What the fuck…" He doesn't get to say much else as my well placed kick knocks the wind from his lungs. I watch as he stumbles back into the couch gripping his abdomen.

Three others rise and my gun goes up, leveling with the one guy that doesn't look all that shocked to see me.

The mug shot of Darren Brooks does not do him justice. In another time, I may have looked his way. Strong jaw line, easy going features.

"Tsk, tsk," I chide the three men standing, "Why don't ya'll take a seat and relax."

One of them, I can't really tell them apart, all are dressed similarly and all are packing, steps forward, moving in front of Brooks.

"I will shoot you," I warn. "I just came to have a little chat," I put a little sugar in my voice and bat my lashes. "I'm Detective Nikki Beaumont of the N.O.P.D., how are all you doing?"

Another steps forward, but a voice behind him stops his progress. "Let her talk."

"D you can't…" the one in the middle starts.

"Siddown Taps," Darren barks. "The rest ya'll siddown too. I ain't tryin' to kill no fuckin' cop!"

The three all hazard a glance backwards and decide to comply with the demand.

Darren Brooks rises from his recliner and steps up to me, pressing his chest into the muzzle of my gun. He licks his lips and looks me up and down. Dark brown eyes reflect not a lot back at me and he smiles. "You come up in here actin' a fool, why don't you say whatcha gotta say then," he steps forward wanting me to flinch as he barks, "You crazy bitch!"

I don't blink. I don't back down. I do lower my gun and holster it.

"I'm sure you know," I say loud enough for the room to hear, "about the shooting down the street. A girl named Jennifer Knox and her two children are dead. I know someone saw something. I'll be in front of her house tomorrow at noon. I want to know what you know."

Darren backs off and folds his arms across his chest. "I heard Jenny was still alive."

I shake my head. "She died this morning."

I see the muscle in his jaw twitch.

"I want answers. Tomorrow. Noon," I remind them.

"And if we don't?" Someone from the back pipes up.

"If someone isn't out there tomorrow, I come back here not wanting to talk," I state calmly, but with enough menace behind my words that they pick up on the implied threat.

Not bothering to look back, I stride from the home and back to June Lee.


	6. Darkness Is A Harsh Term

**Darkness Is A Harsh Term**

"Mr. Courtney as your council, I'm instructing you to please stop talking," John Clark, the court-appointed attorney to one Mr. Ross Courtney, instructs his client.

Ross, the idiot, just rolls his eyes and snickers, "Stupid prick had it coming."

I lean back in my chair across from him and shrug. "So you tried to wreck your parents' marriage because they wouldn't continue to support your stupid lazy ass?"

His face grows a little redder and he spits, "My dick of a father showed more interest in his damn sports collection than he did me. Like I said, the fucking prick had it coming. So what that mom got pissed. She's taken his shit for this long, what's she care if he bangs some dumb cunt on the side. She should be fucking thanking me."

I shake my head. "I just don't get it. That's your family you dumb shit."

The kid snickers and folds his arms across his chest, "Just 'cause they're blood doesn't mean they're always right. Fat chance getting any of my dad's shit recovered."

A sharp rap at the double mirror signals an end to the interview.

Thank God!

Routine questioning turned into the dumb kid talking nonsense and then lawyering up. Like that did him a lot of good.

"You two are going to need to get something worked up. My A.D.A. will be in shortly," I say curtly and leave the room.

As expected Dan and an A.D.A. I'm unfamiliar with stand outside the interview room. The lawyer smiles politely and says, "Thanks detective. That made this a whole lot easier."

I nod at the man, with his thinning hair and rumpled suit. Dan just smiles at me and knocks me on the shoulder. "Good work, Delaney."

I run my hand through my hair and shrug it off. It doesn't feel like I did a good job. It feels like I helped ruin a family. I sigh and watch as the A.D.A. goes into the interview room. Dan kills the intercom and leans against the glass.

His eyes narrow and he looks me over. Pushing off the glass, he crooks a finger asking me to follow him. I comply and we weave our way around a set of desks outside of interrogation room three and go back to his office. The door clicks shut behind me and Dan sits on the edge of his desk.

His button up shirt is a pale blue and his tie, a silvery gray, is caught underneath his folded arms, straining the neck of the button up. "Where's Nikki?"

"Had some other stuff to do," I say. I really don't need him giving me shit right now.

His head bobs. "So that why you asked me to sit in? 'Cause, partner, I don't know if you had the chance to look in the mirror yet, but you look like shit."

I flip him off. It's an automatic response, but I don't deny the assertion that I look like shit. Not sleeping or eating will do that to a person.

"Giving me the bird will only make me more curious." Dan hops off the edge of his desk and slides up to me, resting his hands on my shoulders. "Am I gonna hafta pop that partner of yours?"

"Nope," I say.

"Am I gonna hafta pop you?" His smile takes the sting away marginally.

I shrug. "Maybe."

"Am I gonna get a longer answer?"

I shake my head.

I watch as his face clouds over, his back straightens and he steps away from me.

Goddamnit.

"I," I start, "I snapped at her," I finally admit.

His eyebrow hikes and he gives me the look that says he needs more information.

"We were coming out of the morgue yesterday. Nikki asked a question about a sore spot and I sorta snapped at her." Admitting it does nothing to assuage my guilt. Not much will right now, except for talking to my partner.

"What's the sore spot?" he asks, some of the anger a few short minutes ago leaving his face.

"Telling my mom," I swallow, "telling my mom about us."

"Hmmm."

"What?" I deflate and take a seat in one of the open chairs.

"You should," his words are simple. Their meaning, not as much.

I slouch down in the seat and sulk.

He takes the chair next to me and scoots it close. "We're still friends?" he asks gently.

I shoot him, the 'don't be a dumb shit' look.

"Well, as your friend, I think that you should. Mrs. Delaney is a decent woman. She's got some stuff…ya know back in the day, we called it 'stuck in her ways', and it's true. I mean I'm not saying it'll be easy or that she won't freak out initially." His hand rests on my left knee. "But she's your mother, Nora. She loves you. In the end, it won't matter."

Various voices ping pong inside my brain, Nikki's, Patrick's, Bobby's, Ross Courtney's and now Dan's. It shouldn't matter.

It shouldn't matter.

I'm mostly happy. I'm in love. I have a great partner and a woman that makes me feel like a love sick teenager even after being with her nonstop for nearly four years.

"Ugh!" I bring my hands to my face and grunt again.

"She's not gonna want to talk to me just yet," I whine through my hands.

I hear Dan give a snort of laughter. "Well, I wouldn't either if I were her." He pries my hands away and gives me the Dan Harney Special – a thousand watt smile and big brown eyes that make many a women swoon – before smacking me upside the head.

"Hey!" I protest and rub the spot he hit.

He shrugs. "You deserve it." He nods firmly and follows up with, "Now as your boss, this conversation never happened. I want the write up for Courtney done before you leave here. Then go find your partner and straighten your shit out. I don't need one third of my go to people out of commission 'cause their home life is a fucking train wreck."

"Asshole," I grunt.

"Damn right," he grins, stands and opens the door. "Now get that damn report done Delaney or I'll have you busting out parking tickets for a month!" he makes a show of pushing me out of his office and slamming the door behind me.

A few eyes follow me back to my desk while I have the good sense to look like I just got my ass handed to me.

* * *

><p>I drop the tailgate on June Lee and hop up to take a seat. Knox's former neighborhood is quiet today. With the way the clouds are rolling in, big puffy white things that remind me of summertime thunder storms. Hopefully, the weather holds out and it won't rain cats and dogs until tonight.<p>

I'm not sure what Nora's plans are. She sent me a message last night that said she was staying at Bobby's. I haven't heard from her yet today. The first time we got into it like this and she stayed with her brother, the morning after was one of the worst. I saw her and wanted to smack her.

Not the healthiest way to deal with my anger.

She just…

I've never met someone that can make my blood boil in such short order.

Daddy says that momma and him carried on like that too. He says it's the Beaumont in me.

I glance down at my watch, five till noon; someone should be coming to talk to me soon.

After this, I need to swing by Darius', drop by the studio and his gear and then maybe I'll go see if I can track down my partner. We'll go have dinner and try for a civil conversation.

I close my eyes as a ray of sunlight peeks through the cloudy sky and I inhale. I've been a lot of places and not much can compare to New Orleans and its unique scent.

Down the way, I hear a screen door shut and I find the source, watching someone come towards me. Hopping off the tailgate, I close June Lee up and move towards the sidewalk to rest a hip against the bed of the car. I watch the kid, can't be much older than fourteen or fifteen, approach the front of June Lee. He pays me no attention as he walks past.

I follow his retreating form and sigh. Not who I'm waiting for apparently. I turn my attention to the front of the crime scene and see something at the edge of side walk, between the lawn and the concrete.

It wasn't there before.

Maybe it was who I was waiting on.

I push off the car to stand over the item. A half folded sheet of notebook paper.

I guess it's better than nothing.

Stooping down, I reach for it, but think better of it. Instead, I fish in my jacket pocket and remove an evidence bag and pen. I get the paper in the clear plastic and seal the red strip on it without touching the letter.

I can look it over when I get back to the station.

I start to rise up off my haunches when I hear the first crack.

The concrete rushes up to meet me and pebbles grate against my cheek.

Successions of shots are fired off as I scramble for cover, trying to get behind June Lee.

Bullets ping and bounce off the body as I reach for my gun. As one gun stops, another picks up in its place. It's rapid fire and nearly impossible to tell where the shots are coming from.

Glass shatters.

I can't reach the radio in the car.

Shit.

I wipe at the sweat on my forehead and go to wipe it on my pants. My hand comes back red.

Shit.

Shit.

And fuck!

Inhaling, I know I need to at least try to get a look around.

I scramble to the end of the car and see a late model Oldsmobile stopped right in front of me.

My side begins to burn and I glance down. The red blooms across the cotton blouse I have on.

I hear, "Fuckin' PIG Bitch!" before another round of fire is let loose from the car window.

Diving for better cover, I feel only a searing pain explode across the left side of my head before everything fades to black.

* * *

><p>I look over the finalized report of my interview with Ross Courtney. Not too shabby if I do say so myself. Nikki'd be proud.<p>

Well…no, that's not true; she's the one that hates filling out the paperwork. I'm the one that usually has to double check her work.

Maybe I should offer to do her write ups for a little while. Help get me back on her good side.

It's going to take more than an offer of paperwork right now to do that, but, I shrug to myself, at least it can be a start. I think maybe I need to take her out tonight. Some place nice and low key. Apologize, flowers…

I lean back in my seat and lace my hands behind my head.

The real question is a nice necklace or she'd been eyeing up a new jacket the last time she dragged me shopping.

Either way would work…

Shit.

Ah, no, no, I should swing by Le Cœur and pick up those earrings she saw a few weekends ago. Call over to Mother's and have Mike set me up with a nice bouquet. This could all work in my favor.

And one last thing that I need to do. I pick up my phone and dial the familiar number.

"Hello," Patrick says on the other end of the line.

"Hey," I say wanting him to really start this conversation.

"What's up Hug?" he asks.

"I, uh, I'm in," I swallow.

"Eh?" He's confused and I get it. I guess I would be too.

"I…Patrick don't make me try and explain this. It's just that…Nikki's right, you're right…Dan's right, as

much as it kills me to say this out loud."

My head goes a little light and I draw air in. Breathing helps. Need to remember how to do that.

"It shouldn't matter," I say.

"Good. We'll talk more when you guys get home?" he wonders, the happiness in his voice hard to mask even under his tough guy exterior.

"Yeah, I need to go track down my partner and then try and fix this. I've made a mess," I admit.

Patrick swallows on the other end of the line. "You know I hate this mushy shit, right?"

"Yeah, I know," I tell him, helping him to try and keep the act up that he's cultivated over the years.

"Yeah well, so what I'm about to say I never said. Chris asks, tell 'im I said something else about taking her out and having your way with her or something, but she loves you Nora. She seems like a good woman and really, all your family can ask is that you find someone to love you and treat you right." He swallows, pausing briefly before surging forward, "In the short time I've been here, I can see she does that and more. You won't regret this and with me and Bobby standing with you…mama'll just have to get over herself."

"You really think she will?"

"I don't know, Huggy, but Nikki and Chris deserve a fuck lot better than what we've been."

"Yeah, yeah they do," I sigh.

"Nora!" My head snaps up as I see Dan come running out of his office. "Let's go!"

I sit stunned. "Uh, Pat, I need to…" I don't have time to say anything else as Dan snatches the phone out of my hand and slams it down.

"I said let's go!" he barks.

Instinct takes over and I snatch my keys and jacket before running after him.

"Dan!" I call after him as we race down the steps. "Goddamnit, DAN!"

He doesn't stop, but there is a cruiser, lights on, in the front of the station. Dan clambers in the driver's side and a uniform puts me in the passenger seat, shutting the door as Dan closes his.

"Would you tell me what the fuck is going on?" I snap.

He's halfway down the street, siren on, before he looks over briefly and says, "I got a call from Lt. Stave saying they'd taken Nikki to the hospital." His eyes flick to me before going back to the road and taking a hard right. "She was shot. Once in the head and once in the side. I'm not sure…" his voice cracks.

My head spins. It feels like the floor just…

"Nora!"

I look at my old partner, words forming, but…talking seems...

I feel the car shift under me. I slide into the door a little, the armrest digging into my forearm. The discomfort goes away as we take another turn.

I focus on the dashboard. It's dusty and hasn't seen a rag for a while.


	7. Fill This Void

**Fill This Void**

The small table by the window holds a few bouquets of useless flowers and useless notes. It'd be nice if they meant something, if they did any good, but they sit there and remind me of how utterly fucking useless they are.

How utterly useless I am.

I draw in a breath and shut my eyes against the sight of the flowers and the moonlight peeking through the curtains. My head falls forward and rests against my upturned thumbs. Perched on the edge of the padded chair, I listen.

Beep…hiss…beep…hiss…beep

Heart and I.V. monitors shouldn't be soothing sounds. They are though. They let me know that at least she's alive.

She may not be conscious yet…but she's breathing.

I cling to that.

I have to…the alternative…

I'm not strong enough to handle the alternative.

Finally, I exhale and swallow, trying to get passed the knot that's taken residence in my chest. Looking up, I take her in, lying barely two feet from me. My eyes travel the same path they have since they moved her in here on Thursday night.

I start at the foot of the bed, finding another small form of comfort in the idea that her feet make the same lumpy pattern under the blanket in a hospital bed as they do at home when she's sleeping on her back. I trek north; over the swell of her hidden hips, to her right arm, pierced with two separate I.V.'s, one in the back of her hand and the other further up in the crook of arm. I don't need to turn her hand over and inspect her palm to know that the usually supple skin there is abraded and scabbed.

Up her arm, over her right shoulder and the slender arc of her neck, my eyes scan her relaxed features. Then there is the site that greets me from her hairline at her temple and extending back on her scalp about four inches. A row of angry looking stitches are prominent on the shaved area of her head.

She's going to be pissed that they shaved her head.

I could care less.

She's alive.

I'd rather have her alive and bald then dead with a full head of hair. A small chunk of hair is a small price to pay considering…

I tear my eyes away from her right temple and study her left brow, a scratch above her left eyebrow angles towards the bridge of her nose, the wound pattern tells me enough of the story.

She fell on her left side, took the bullet on her right.

Quickly, I shut my eyes against the images that play across my vision. I didn't need to see to know exactly how it went down.

I can imagine well enough the bounce her head took when she hit the pavement.

When the anger and nausea subside, I continue my appraisal of her.

Hidden underneath the blankets, on her left side, her abdomen is taped and bandaged. Another set of stitches run along the left side of her stomach. There's another matching set on her back. The doc said it was two bullets, nearly on the same trajectory.

He said it was a through and through.

I can't figure out if that's supposed to be comforting or not.

I straighten up and push myself out of the chair. Turning around, I slip on to the bed, careful to not jostle her too much. Covering her hand with my left, I reach out and brush away a lock of hair that swept over her left brow when I sat down.

"Ni…n…Nik," I croak. I clear my throat and try again, "I, uh, the doc said that I should try and talk. I'm not sure how much good it's gonna do. I mean everyone and anyone that knows you has been in. Charlie, Dan, Bobby, Georgia, Jesse, Dom, Bennie. Hell, even Sasha from records. She always was sweet on you."

My eyes blur and her face becomes watery. I swallow passed the wave that constricts my throat and chest, "Your dad's been here almost as much as me. Darius too. Pat and Chris. We all want you to wake up baby. The docs said that the shot to your head glanced of your skull, a testament to your hard head. There's swelling though." I reach out and smooth some of her hair back. "See, it's like Saturday morning and I've been here since Dan broke every traffic code and probably some that don't even exist yet to get here. "

I try for a laugh, but it doesn't make it to my lips. I close my eyes briefly, hoping that I can click my heels out of this nightmare. Hoping I'll wake up and Nikki will be lying next to me, sleeping peacefully.

The beeps don't let the fantasy live too long.

"Nik, baby, I really need you to wake up." My chin quivers and I feel the first set of tears for this round slip down my cheeks. "I need to talk to you. To apologize." I feel them gather at the cleft of my chin and drop on top of our entwined hands. "Please, baby, just lemme see your pretty brown eyes."

I lean over and kiss her uninjured cheek before I curl into her side.

* * *

><p>I feel the bed shift behind me. Involuntarily, a smile creeps across my lips and I push against the body molding to my back. I reach back and pull her closer.<p>

"Nik," I croak my voice harsh from sleep, "it's early. Sleep."

"Oh, Nora," I hear Jill behind me as she tightens her hold. Her voice a small shock to my sleeping system.

I clamp my eyes shut and breathe in the smell of antiseptic while listening to the sound of the monitors attached to my lover in the bed next to me. I turn around and curl into the waiting arms of my friend.

She gathers me up as I barely manage to keep the tears at bay.

Jill's hands run up and down my back, kneading away the first layer of knots. I can't really make out what she's saying, but just hearing her voice helps. I wrap my arms around her waist and I finally mumble, "When'd you get in?"

She kisses the top of my head and answers, "About a half hour ago. I came straight from the airport."

I nod and ask, "Annie?"

She sighs and plays with my hair. "Alabama? Oklahoma? She was inflight when I got in. One of their cases broke. A missing person's that finally pulled some leads."

I nod. "I's okay."

"Yeah, she said you'd understand, but that she'll try to get here within the next forty-eight hours." Jill's ministrations stop as she pulls back to look at me. I watch her eyes scan my face then focus over my shoulder. No doubt looking at Nikki behind me.

"She should keep on the case. We can't really do anything here," I mumble.

Jill's eyes narrow and she asks, "So, what happened?"

"We don't have all the details. The most we know is that Nikki was the victim of a drive by. Two AK-47's, she took three shots." I draw in a much needed breath and exhale. Unfortunately, I still feel like it's nearly impossible to breathe. "June Lee's shot to hell. Dan will only tell me that she's in impound as evidence." I give a harsh snort, "Like I give a fuck. I just…want…I want Nikki to wake up."

Jill doesn't say anything and instead chooses to try and smooth back my hair.

I sniffle and whimper, "I need to apologize."

This causes her movements to pause. "Why?"

I bury my face in the crook of her neck and mumble, "I told you about Patrick and Chris…"

"Hmm, uh-huh, and if I may interject, I'm so excited we have some gay men in the family. I was hoping Lee would be a switch hitter, but no such luck," she jokes.

I shake my head. I'm not even going to touch that right now. "I messed up though…"

"How?"

"We, Nikki and me, were fighting. Patrick wants to tell mom and I…"

"You balked and through a fit," Jill states.

I nod. "I didn't go home last Wednesday. I stayed at Bobby's."

"Nora, honey…" she tries to interrupt me.

I need to get this out. "Just…I know okay. I know. I just need to fix it Jill. I need her to wake up and let me explain…"

"Explain that you've been fighting this for years? Explain that, and don't take this the wrong way sweetie, but you've been an absolute fucking tool about this whole thing," Jill snaps. "Nora, I've never pulled any punches with you on this…it's fucking shitty of you and shitty of her too for going along with it."

"'Cause coming out for you was so fucking easy?" I snap right back. I want to pull away, but she's stronger than she looks and keeps me in place.

"Nope. Not even close. But we're not talking about me. We're talking about you."

"I…" I pause needing to breathe. "I know, but that's the thing. That's what I wanted to apologize for on Thursday, before…" I stop, not really able to say those words yet, "I'm going to tell my mom."

I feel Jill tense and she hisses, "Not like this Nora."

"What?" I manage to pull back this time and stare at my friend.

"Not like this." She points behind me to Nikki and then pokes the same finger in my chest. "That's a fucking poor damn excuse to come out Nor. She deserves better than that. You deserve better than…"

I let go of my bottom lip that was clamped between my teeth and shut her up, "Do you really think that little of me?"

She glares for a moment before answering, "No, I think that little of the situation."

Wiping away the remaining tears, I maneuver us so that I'm on my back and she's resting against me. "I didn't decide this sitting here with her. I was going to tell her Thursday after I apologized and groveled."

"Oh," she breathes.

"I was talking to Dan and then to Patrick. I need to tell her. My mom…I'm not sure what's going to happen, but…I can't lose her…I will if I don't." I run my free hand through my greasy hair and sigh. "She says that she'll wait, but…she's waited too long."

"Hmm," Jill hums.

"I can't lose her, Jill." I feel the model shift and her bright brown eyes stare down at me.

She nods once and then places a tender kiss on my forehead. "Okay."

I nod at her and she tucks some hair behind my ear.

"Now, I'm in town until you kick me out. So, remember, when I say this next bit, I love you…but Nora, sweetie, you look like shit." She smiles at me and sticks her tongue out.

I just shake my head. "I'm not leaving here."

"I know. Mr. Beaumont and Darius are outside the room trying to let you get some rest. You been scaring your pseudo-father-in-law, Nora Marie. That's not very nice of you."

"Well, I'm still not leaving until she wakes up," my tone not offering any room for argument.

"I know," she nods. "That's why I brought you some extra clothes and toiletries. " She sits up and pushes me off the bed and onto my feet. "You go to the bathroom and get cleaned up. We don't want our Nikki getting frightened of you when she finally decides to grace us mere mortals with her beautiful voice."

That actually doesn't sound like a bad idea so I gather the bag and shuffle towards the bathroom. I hear a mattress creak and I turn around to see Jill sitting on Nikki's bed smoothing back my lover's hair. "I…Jill…"

My friend doesn't bother turning around as she says, "I know, sweetie. I love your stubborn ass too and your welcome. Now go shower."

I nod and do as am I told.

* * *

><p>"Come on slow poke," Jill chides as she drags me through the lobby of the hospital. "Nikki's probably back from her tests."<p>

The bag from the jewelers bangs against my leg as we move quickly to the bank of elevators. Jill stops us short and hits the button to take us up. I shake my head and look her over as she bounces on the balls of her feet. Ripped up jeans, her trusty pair of Doc's and a t-shirt that reads 'Lars Frederickson & the Bastards'. Below the bright red lettering is a black and white image of a few tattooed and mohawked men, the center one flips the camera off and in red below him it reads 'Anti-social'.

I'm really not sure what to do with this woman.

As the elevators slide open two men step off and give Jill and myself a once over. Jill purposefully ignores them and pulls me into the waiting box. She hits the button for the fifth floor and asks, "Can you believe the people at the jewelers? It's bad business Nor."

I snicker. "Well if you didn't look like…"

"You mean if I were dressed nicer?" she retorts.

"Well, yeah," I answer shifting the weight on me feet. I still can't believe she got crazy with the manager at _Le Cœur's. How were they supposed to know? _

"I call bullshit. Just 'cause someone looks a certain way, doesn't mean that they are that way," she snips playfully.

I shake my head. "I disagree. You're an exception to that particular rule Jill. Trust me, nine times out of ten, if it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck…"

She waves a hand at me dismissively and rolls her eyes. "It was still rude."

I shrug. She has a small point. I refuse to tell her that.

The elevator comes to a stop and I'm out of it before the doors are fully open. I really want to see Nikki. She woke up Tuesday morning. A little longer than the doctors were thinking it would take, but still she's awake.

She's awake and talking and feeling as good as she can for being shot.

We hang a right and head towards the end of the hall to the private room Arthur arranged for his daughter. The door's cracked and I see the doctor, Smith or Schmitz or something talking to Nikki and…my brother's voice carries to us, Patrick.

"So when then?" he asks.

I push the door open and the conversation stops. Nikki beams at me. My own smile no doubt matches hers as I look between the three occupants of the room.

"As I was saying," the doctor starts in again, "I'm not signing off on her release until we can be sure she's out of the woods. More than likely she'll be home by Friday."

Patrick nods, but Nikki protests, "I'd rather go home now. I feel fine."

"We're not risking the infection, detective," the doc doesn't budge.

Her mouth opens and I shoot her a look. "She'll stay," I interrupt. "At least until we can be sure she's in the clear."

Nikki's mouth gives an audible clack and she glares at me. I barely shake my head, but she gets the message. We also haven't had much of a chance to really talk. Once she woke up and the news hit the station, there's been a steady stream of cops and friends moving in and out of here.

"I'll schedule another MRI and CT for tomorrow, Ms. Beaumont and then we'll discuss discharging you to the care of your…" he looks at Patrick, me and Jill before saying, "…husband and friends."

My eyes narrow as I look at my brother, but his eyes are big and round at the doctor's assumption. I swallow and shut my eyes as I take one giant step forward, "That's my brother and my partner." My eyes pop open and the doctor looks a little confused. I clarify much to everyone's shock, "Det. Beaumont is my girlfriend, not my brother's wife."

"Oh," the doctor shakes his head, "I'm sorry for the assumption." He looks between Nikki and I and finally shrugs. "Well then, we'll have your…partner home with you before the week's end. We just want…"

"I understand. We'd rather be safe," I tell him, but stare my lover down.

"Excellent. I'll leave you four alone. I've rounds, but don't hesitate to page the nurse if you need to." He offers nothing more as he bustles out of the door.

"You," Jill doesn't give any of us a chance to regroup as she slips her arm through Patrick's, "Must be Nora's brother." She gives him one of her dazzling smiles and Patrick looks a little taken aback. "Come with me, we," she wags a finger between the two of them, "Need to talk. Nora's been so demanding of my time since I've gotten in that we haven't had a chance to talk."

I watch as Patrick shoots me a worried look over his shoulder before being dragged out of the room. The door clicks shut leaving Nikki and I alone since she woke up yesterday. She's either been asleep or out or there have been other's with us.

I can't help the shy smile that comes over me as I look into her bright brown eyes. I really never thought I'd be this happy to just be able to see them.

"You're girlfriend, eh?" she teases me.

I manage a blush and stammer, "I didn't…I just couldn't…" I stop trying to actually explain the acute embarrassment coursing through me and instead shut my mouth. Sometimes it's better to just shut up.

"Hi," she quietly says after a beat and pats the empty space on the bed next to her.

"Hey," I say as I sit down and place the bag at her feet. Now that we're alone…finally…words seem…

"What's in the bag?" she asks as she adjusts to sit up a little higher in the bed.

I swallow. "Uh, yo…a present. For you." I lick my lips.

"You really think a pretty piece of jewelry is going to fix this?" she says coolly.

I shake my head. "It's a start." I look her over, literally it feels like I drink and breathe her in. I lick my lips and find the words, "Not even close, Nikki. It's a start for, as Jill said, apologizing for acting like a complete fucking tool over the past few years."

She reaches out and takes my hand, encouraging the words that pour from my lips. "You deserved better than what I've been. I've been an asshole and you're right, I was…I am scared. Petrified actually, but…Thursday, before I knew you were hurt…that's important that you know…I came to this before…" I falter and pick the bedspread with my free hand. "I called Patrick and told him that we're going to tell mom together. I just…I need you well enough to hold me together through it."

A smile breaks across her face and I manage to smile back. She gives me a slight nod before pulling me closer. I finish off the minute distance and press our lips together. The tears on our cheeks mingle, but they're ignored.

I pull away and rest my forehead against hers. "I'm sorry, Nikki."

"Shh, sugga," she whispers against my lips. "I love you, Nora."

"I love you too," I whisper back.

She smiles again and says, "What the hell am I gonna do about my hair?"


	8. Things Unreal

**Things Unreal**

Nikki gives off a hiss of pain, causing us to stop the slow shuffle from the bathroom back to her bed. My grip on her arm tightens and she leans against me a little more. Her forehead is clammy against my neck.

"Nik?" I ask tentatively.

"Good," she hisses, "Just moved the wrong way."

I nod and debate picking her up. She's not that heavy and I've done it before.

"Don't even think it Delaney," she says looking up at me.

I give her a crooked smile and joke, "We could just put a bed in the bathroom for ya."

I get a swat to my arm and she urges us forward. Complying, we move gingerly across the hospital room. She's slated to leave tomorrow, but her stomach's been giving her some trouble. I assist as she slides into bed and I hear, "I hate this shit."

"I know," I offer. "Tomorrow. We'll get you home tomorrow and then it'll just be me and whoever's left at the house to play mother hen."

She scowls at me as I take my seat on her bed.

"Darius may just want to bunk on the couch though." I run a hand through my hair and think about the last time we talked. He hasn't been able to come by as much as he'd like. Apparently one of the youth shelters he works with ran into some problems this past week.

"He tell you anything about what's going on?" Nikki asks.

"Not really, just said that some folks caused a ruckus and he and the center's director are handling it. It's just taking up a lot of his time," I explain.

She nods and asks, "Do you think we could get rid of some of the flowers? I know…"

I place a finger to her lips. "I've collected all the cards that were sent. You can work on thank you notes while you're resting up. I'll sick Jill on it. She needs something to keep her busy," I snicker and amend,

"Pat said that she's cleaned the house top to bottom and rearranged our kitchen."

She smiles against my finger and then kisses it.

"Knock, knock," Dan calls out before peeking his head through the door.

I wave him in and he smiles waving a folder around.

"Well if it isn't the illustrious Nikki Beaumont looking better than ever," he jibes, "That new hair cut is doin' wonders for you detective."

"Dan," I warn.

She's still really sensitive about her hair.

"I will find a way to kick your hide Harney," Nikki threatens him.

He holds his hands up in surrender and asks, "How are you feeling?"

Nikki shrugs. "Like I was shot."

"Hmm, well you were, so I guess that's to be expected." He flops down into one of the visitor chairs and props his feet up on the end of the bed.

"What's up?" I ask.

"Wanted to check up on you two and discuss some arrangements that have been made in your absence." He wiggles his eyebrows before starting in, "Nik, I have to pick the papers up from the doc to take to your Union Rep. They're still investigating the shooting, but I don't think we'll run into too much trouble. You're also on leave until we get medical release…"

"That's news?" Nikki jokes, "It's not like I'm gonna run out of here and chase down a mugger, Dan."

"I know that, but I told Chen I'd swing by and update you," he smiles sweetly and bats his eyelashes.

I shake my head. That has never worked for him.

"Also, I needed to discuss what to do with your partner since she's not gonna be any good to us while you're laid up." He runs a hand over his head and hands over the folder.

I take it from him and flip it open. 'Transfer' is the first thing I see.

"Now, before you give me a tongue lashing that will not be near as much fun for me as it will be for you, let me explain. Baird and I were talking and we needed to make sure that all," he points his finger between Nikki and me, "And I mean all of our bases were covered since Nikki's out. Effective at eight a.m. this morning, Det. Delaney you are being transferred to Vice."

"No," Nikki speaks up before I have I chance to protest.

"This isn't open for debate, either of you. It's a temporary reassignment until you, Nikki, are cleared to come back."

"I can still work," I snip and snap the folder closed.

He shakes his head. "You can't work on any of your open cases. The Knox murders have gotten way too personal for all of us. I've had Commander Hosli's personal watchdog breathing down my neck because not only was an officer gunned down, but said officer was a decorated detective who happens to be a respected councilman's daughter. I'm playing this by the books here ladies. None of this is open for discussion."

Nikki huffs and then I huff while glaring at my ex-partner.

"Nor, you need to swing by tomorrow and pick up the new badge and assignment details, but from what Ron's worked out, you'll be playing baby sitter to his old partner. Seems the gal he used to work with got herself all shot up and needs to be looked after. Ron said that he thought you looked like the Nightingale type."

"You're joking?" Nikki and I both say at the same time.

Dan shakes his head. "It's in the vested interest of our two departments that Det. Beaumont make a full and speedy recovery. Ron and I thought what better way for that to happen than to make sure that the one person she listens to more than anyone else be by her side to ensure such a recovery."

My eyes narrow at him and I snip, "I'm not padding my time sheets for this shit, Dan. It's not right."

Dan's eyebrows rise and he looks me over. "Nora, I know you ain't been to the station in a few days, but let me just tell you, Nikki's shooting has stirred a hornet's nest. We all know that eventually things are going to come to a head. No one, and by no one I mean Ron, me, you or your partner, can afford to be caught unawares. Just how do you think it looks? She was targeted, shot up in your car, you're her power of attorney and don't think there hasn't been chatter about your insistence to camp out here with her."

"I'm not going to do it Dan," I hold firm.

"You don't get it Nora, this isn't a request. It's an order." Dan stands and leans into me. "You do whatever Ron says and you'll do it with a smile on your face. Why can't you see we're trying our damnedest to protect you both?"

"Nora," Nikki's voice breaks through my anger and my head snaps in her direction, "Do what he says."

I growl. "What about the case?"

"As far as either of you are concerned, it's an ongoing investigation that neither of you are to touch with a fifty foot pole." He folds his arms across his chest and I resist the urge to punch him.

"That's bullshit," I snip.

He shakes his head. "It's what it is. I'm still trying to work on getting your car out of evidence, but…Nora, she's…your car's probably going to need to be junked."

"I don't care," I say, meeting his gaze. "Do what you need to do, take however long you want."

He nods and finishes up, "I managed to get a few items from the car before Benton had a chance to work cataloging them. You can swing by tomorrow and explain to me why there were not one but two pairs of panties stuffed under the seat of your car."

I groan and Nikki snickers. I knew I shouldn't have let her talk me into that quickie on one of our last stakeouts.

* * *

><p>The sound of my foot tapping against the linoleum of the hospital hall floor makes this hollow sort of sound. Arthur Beaumont just shoots me a look as my leg begins the inevitable bounce. I really wish they'd hurry up with Nikki.<p>

The sooner they get back to me the sooner we can go home. The sooner I can give her a proper once over without the worry of prying eyes or someone from the station showing up to wish her a quick recovery.

Of course, we'll also be able to avoid the few family members of hers that have stopped by. I don't mind her family so much, if they don't talk to me. Her Aunt Peggy and Uncle Gabriele tend to refer to me as Nikki's "friend" and generally disregard me when I've been to the handful of family functions Nikki's dragged me to. It's her three cousins, Nathaniel, Gabriele Jr. and Aimee that annoy the living hell out of me. They seem intent on stirring up as much trouble as they possibly can in the shortest amount of time.

Luckily they've only been by twice. Once, Chris was with us and acted as a decent buffer and then Arthur was there for the latest one yesterday. He and Nikki seemed to put his brother's children in their proper place which is nowhere near Nikki.

Nikki quit making excuses for them when they decided that setting their cousin up with a doctor Nathaniel knew was the last straw. The setup happened a family function I was dragged to.

Apparently, they can't accept the idea that their cousin is in a committed relationship with another girl, a "common, blue collar one, no less" as Aimee said at the last dinner we went to together.

Arthur sighs next to me and reaches out to place a hand on my knee. "I'm afraid, childe that you are going to bounce a hole right through the floor and land us in the floor below." He smiles at me and gives my knee a fatherly pat before resting back in his lap.

"Sorry, I just…" I trail off as he smiles warmly at me.

"I know. I'm afraid my daughter's intent on giving us both a heart attack at least once in our lives."

I swallow and nod. Over the past few years, he and I've come to some fairly even ground. I still get pretty nervous around him, but he has made more of an effort than I ever thought someone like him would. My respect for the man deepened as I've gotten to see just how much he loves his daughter.

"So, Nikki told me you're planning on telling your mother about you two?" he asks quietly.

My head whips in his direction. Arthur's eyes reflect a hint of amusement and I swear that same mischievous glint that Nikki's get when she's leading up to something.

I can't seem to find my voice so I just nod.

"Did Nikki ever tell you what happened when she told me?"

I shake my head.

"Well, I'll have to thank her for that at some point. It wasn't my best moment as a father." He runs a hand through his hair, his pinky ring catching the light just so. "I had some suspicions, but never confronted her until…she had been injured on the job, a bit more troublesome last time than this one actually. Darius and I had taken her out to my family home." He breathes out. "To make a slightly long story a bit shorter, on our way back, we had stopped at one of our favorite restaurants and I confronted her."

"How'd that go?" I ask genuinely curious. Nikki's made one or two off handed comments about her dad's initial reaction, but nothing blatant, instead keeping it focused on how supportive he is now.

"I snapped at her. I was angry, hurt, confused as well. Fact of the matter is, is that I didn't talk to her for nearly six months. Some of the worst times I remember of my little life." He looks me over then and places another arm on my shoulder. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that if you need anything, with or without our Nicolette around, you're more than welcome to whatever it is I can do. I'd be more than happy to be with you two when you talk to your mother, perhaps steer her around the curves a bit better than when I had to do it alone."

"Uh, uhm, thanks…I…well, Patrick will be there…" I falter.

He nods and gives me another warm smile. "The offer stands Nora. I think you're about as close as I'm going to get to another child and you should know I'm here for you. You've proven yourself to me and to Nikki enough."

"Thanks," I choke out and wipe the sweat peppering my brow.

Nikki needs to get back here. I'm not sure I can deal with a sentimental Beaumont much longer.

* * *

><p>"Now, if you'll just sign here and here, we'll take care of the rest," the nurse says pointing to a few lines on the discharge papers.<p>

I look over the forms and listen for Nikki to finish up in the bathroom. Signing the discharge papers, I hand the nurse back her pen and she clucks as it slips into her pocket.

"Now, her prescription can be picked up at the pharmacy that you listed. I've included some additional pain pills in this bag," she pulls one from her right smock pocket, "The doctor said that she shouldn't need them, but the stitches are in a tender spot. We'll call you to schedule a follow up at Dr. Leitzell's private office."

I nod. "Anything else?"

She nods and hands me a few papers from the back of the clipboard. "These are care instructions for her wounds. The bag on the bed is for the supplies that you'll need. If you should run out, a local drug store should have what you need. The stitches she has need to be kept dry for a little while longer. If the area gets red or begins to hurt more than usual, bring her in here immediately." She rattles this off and barely pauses for a breath before continuing, "If she develops a fever, if there's any unusual abdominal pain, she needs to be seen at once. Now," the nurse's voice drops, "you also need to be aware that with certain types of head trauma, there may be prolonged repercussions, small things, small shifts in her personality, behavior, all of that can be normal for Ms. Beaumont's type of wound. You should be aware of that. Give her some time and some patience."

"She's in good hands," I say smiling tightly.

The nurse looks me over briefly before nodding and offering me a good day.

"Nora," Nikki calls out.

I stride to the bathroom door and poke my head in. "You rang?"

She smirks and asks, "A little help getting me up and my pants back on?"

I shake my head. "I don't mind helping you up, but it's damn near criminal to put your pants _on_."

"Nora Marie," Nikki warns.

Giving her an exaggerated sigh, I shuffle into the bathroom and shut the door. I help her stand and then drop to one knee and begin to pull her underwear up first. I stop as I get them to her hips and decide to examine her for further injuries. Tilting my head I examine her and look around to the swell of her right cheek.

I feel a finger tap the top of my head.

I blink and look up.

"Pants? Underwear? Were you going to stay down there and stare at my derriere all afternoon?" Nikki's lips purse in that way that tell me she's not feeling whatever it is I'm feeling at the moment, it's a cross between annoyed and…well mostly, it's just annoyed.

"Uh, just appreciating the view from all the way down here," I manage and focus getting her underwear and pants on her.

She tugs on my arm and I stand, pressing gently against her erect form.

"What's so wrong with a girl admiring another girl's…assets?" I query and kiss the corner of her mouth.

"I'm not sure I've ever properly admired your ass, forgive me?"

She reaches out and tweaks the tip of my nose. "You're incorrigible."

I shrug. Why argue with the obvious? "Come on," I urge, "Your dad went to go get the car. We're to meet him downstairs and the nurse and I just took care of all the paperwork."

"Time for a clean getaway?" she questions as we move from the bathroom to the wheelchair I put just outside of the door.

"In deed, Ms. Beaumont, in deed." I sling my overnight bag over my shoulder and stuff the rest of the items on the bed in the side pocket. "Ready?" I ask as we start towards the door.

"Way more than ready." She tilts her head back and I look down at her.

The color has returned to her face, her cheeks are a nice pinkish color instead of the greyish hue that had persisted up until a few days ago. I lean down and kiss her forehead then whisper, "All right gorgeous, let's get you home. Jill's been bonding with my brother and Chris, I'm afraid to see what's happened to our home in our absence."

Nikki smiles. "I'm glad she's here."

"Me too," I agree. We hit the elevator and I'm happy that someone was holding the door. "Thanks," I say to the man that held the door. He offers a nod and I push the button for the lobby.

"I'm glad Patrick and Chris are there too," she says quietly.

I look down at her and my eyes narrow.

"What?" she asks.

I shake my head. "You're not that sly, Nik, but for what it's worth, I'm more glad than you that they're

here."

As the elevator doors open the man once again holds the doors open for us as I wheel her out and towards the front door. I lean down; quickly nip her ear and whisper, "You ready to really go home?"

She swallows and nods her head. "I was ready to be home the moment I woke up. Now let's not prolong this sugga, get your woman to her bed."

I laugh and right myself. Best fucking idea she's ever had.


	9. Within The Fragile Substance

**Within The Fragile Substance**

"You do know your mom's just going to assume half way through dinner, right?" Jill asks from the kitchen island.

I stop cutting up the tomatoes for the salad and glare at her.

"Jill," Ann warns behind me.

"She may…" Patrick starts to say, but Nikki comes to my rescue…kind of.

"Let's worry about dinner for right now ladies and…" her finger taps her chin and she looks my brother over, "Patrick."

I sigh.

"No, see I think I have a point. I mean there are four women here and three guys. Your mom knows Annie and I are married. She knows Chris and Patrick moved here…TOGETHER…and well, you and Nikki," she waves a hand between the two of us and smirks. "Sorry, but if people don't know you're together, they obviously aren't paying attention…at all." Jill gives a half-shrug. "You and the big lug you call a brother may not even need to say anything, just hold hands with Chris and Nikki. I'm sure Nancy will figure it out from there."

I wonder if Nikki will hurt me if I just impale myself on the butcher knife now.

I don't even know why I agreed to do this now. Sure, Nikki's in the clear. Her stitches are going to come out tomorrow, she can move around with general ease.

This wasn't a good idea.

Nope.

Not a good idea at all. I mean dinner with my mom, at my house, with Patrick, Chris, Jill, Ann, Bobby and Nikki?

What the fuck was I thinking?

"Nor, if it helps, I think having us here will actually help," Ann offers from her place at the stove. She was in charge of the sauce tonight. Pasta, garlic bread, salad. Simple meal for tonight.

I sigh again.

"At least you got to decide when," Nikki offers from next to me. "Daddy said he told you how he found out. That was a disaster, but," she tries to qualify, smiling, "it did turn out all right in the end." She places a hand on my arm and gives it a reassuring squeeze, "Just breathe."

I study her face, the scabbed and nearly healed wounds on her face, the hair that's just barely starting to grow back before meeting her eyes. I find reassurance in the warmth of her eyes.

I can do this.

I may throw up before I do actually do this, but I can do this.

I tip my chin and she offers me a smile.

"Here," Patrick says, hip checking me out of the way while slipping the knife from my hand, "Let me finish this up. There's not a lot left and Nikki and I already set the table. You and her should run upstairs and finish getting ready."

"You…" I try to ask if he's sure.

"Go. I got this Huggy." He winks at me and I roll my eyes.

Nikki takes my right hand and leads my upstairs.

"If you decide to have a quickie," Jill hollers from the kitchen, "make it really quick, Bobby and Chris should be back with your mom in like twenty minutes!"

My chin drops to my chest and I groan as I hear Patrick declare, "She better not. I do not need to think about my baby sister…that…with…and…just…"

"Jilly, I'm not above withholding sex from you if you don't start minding those manners I know your mom raised you with," Ann warns.

"Are we sure having them here was a good idea?" I ask Nikki as we finally hit the top of the stairs.

Nikki is all smiles, but she shakes her head. "Look at it this way sugga, at least Jill knows her role in this."

I raise an eyebrow as we begin to undress.

"She's gonna be the comic relief. It's gonna get tense. Jill will help," my girl reasons.

Maybe she's right. I mean, really, I can't think of anyone else I'd rather have with me tonight than the people that are going to be here.

"Now come on," Nikki purrs, pulling me closer to her by the belt loops of my jeans, "what can I do to help you relax?" She leans in and nips the tip of my chin.

I give off a low rumble as I feel her smile. Her lips trail up to the corner of my lips and then farther north to my cheek, across the bridge of my nose and down again.

I melt into her.

"Can we just stay up here?" I mumble as her hands roam over my back and ass.

"Nope," she breathes, "I will not be introduced to your mother as your girlfriend while we are mid coitus." She pulls back and wiggles her eyebrows, "I feel that we've already exposed ourselves to one of your family members that way and I wouldn't want to be so unoriginal."

I groan and let my head fall to her shoulder.

I think I may be sick.

* * *

><p>Pleasant.<p>

Forced and pleasant.

I've also only nearly thrown up once.

You think this'd be easier. I mean we set the table up so that she sat at the head of it. Patrick was to her right and I was to her left. Then Chris was to his right, Nikki to my left with Ann and Jill sitting across from one another. We made sure to put Jill by Nikki…just in case. With Bobby sitting opposite mama at the other end of the table. Ann got to keep him in line.

Through salad and dinner, my mother picked up on nothing…or maybe she's just ignoring it. She's always been really good at that. If I didn't know any better I'd swear there was ostrich somewhere in the gene pool.

And now…now the pasta isn't sitting too well and I really want to smack the living shit out of Patrick 'cause he looks calmer than anyone here.

How can he do this?

How can he sit there next to her and not feel like I do?

I think I should be drunk for this.

Things like this are always easier when I've downed a set of shots and a few beers.

Hey, that's an idea; we should bust out the good bourbon Arthur bought us.

I feel a hand squeeze my thigh and I jump, hitting my knee on the underside of the table. This causes a

small chain reaction. First is the squeak of surprise from my mother. Twin smirks from Patrick and Chris and an 'ok' from Jill as her wife glares at her. Bobby looks amused and Nikki, she's giving me the 'you're being a spaz, calm the hell down' look.

"What?" I croak.

"I wasn't sure if you are trying to start a motorcycle or run a marathon while sitting, Nora. That habit of yours needs to be controlled," Nikki answers quietly.

I open my mouth, but nothing really comes out of it except a grunt. So I shut it and try to dial back in on the conversation. "So, Patrick, tell us, why do you keep on calling our Nora 'Huggy'?" Ann asks out of nowhere.

"Pat…" I try to warn him off.

"She's never told any of you?" my mother asks a little incredulous.

"Mom, please," I plead.

"Here," Patrick speaks up, "Let's just get this over with now that we got everyone here." He clears his throat and I move to crawl under the table, but Nikki's hand clutching the waist of my jeans prevents me from getting any farther than bent down with my head stuck under the table top. "It was Halloween, Seventy-nine, and my little sister had a hard time finding what to be for that particular year. I had been tasked with taking her and Bobby around 'cause Terry had something to go to…"

"He had a date," my mother chimes in.

Resigned, I sit up in my seat and receive a silent 'thank you' from Nikki.

"That's right," Patrick's face lights up in remembrance. "I was fixin' to leave, but Nora here hadn't

brought her cute little eight year old ass outta the bedroom yet."

Jill, Ann and Nikki crowed with laughter and my partner's hand gives our linked hands under the table a good squeeze as she says, "I think I would be willing to kill to have known you at eight."

"Laugh it up, Beaumont; don't think I won't get some dirt on you from your daddy."

She just sticks her tongue out at me as my brother continues, "So, Bobby's got a little Casper costume on and I'm in my football jersey and jeans when Nora comes down the steps. To this day," he says poking a finger at the table top, "none of us know where she got the clothes, but here our little Nora comes tromping down the steps in these ridiculous platform shoes and teal, velvet track suit." He pauses as I watch mouths drop open and all eyes turn to me. "And the best pimp hat I've ever had the pleasure of seeing."

The whole table erupts in gales of laughter, even me as I feel the blood rush to my cheeks.

He manages to quiet the table down some as the punch line finally hits, "She's on the landing, her hands on her skinny ass hips, looking up at me, ma and little man over here and says, 'Yo, name's Huggy Bear, you seen Hutch or that fool partner of his, Starsky?'"

I bury my head in my hand and groan.

I was eight.

My brothers watched that show religiously.

I found the clothes in Terry's closet…the shoes…I borrowed from our next door neighbor.

"Sugga, please tell me he's joking?" Nikki cackles in my ear.

I can only shake my head.

She leans in a little closer and whispers, "If I didn't love you before…I sure the hell don't now."

I glare at her with her bright red cheeks and eyes full of tears from laughing. I want to do nothing more than kiss away her little jibe and remind her just how much I know she does love me, but I don't.

I don't because my mother's sitting off to my right and she doesn't know how amazing it is to be me and love Nikki the way that I do.

Drawing in a breath, I let it out slow, steady and measured as the table finally settles down. I send a look to my brother. The supposedly older, wiser one that truth be told has always been a little larger than life to me. Having him back sure is going to be fun. He nods and I know. It's time for me to take the lead.

I squeeze Nikki's hand, running the pad of my thumb over the inside of her palm. She looks over at me and I find the last little push I need.

"I hope ya'll are getting a good laugh," I try for hurt, but they all know. "Ann, Jill, Bobby, I have enough dirt on the three of you." I waggle a finger at Chris and warn, "I know people Mr. Zermano, remember that."

My brother's partner puts his hands up and shakes his head. "We're cool. I'll just have to remember to stay on your good side, Huggy."

With that the table busts up again.

I feel a hand clamp over my right arm and look over at my mom. I look over at her and she's smiling away.

It's good to see her smile.

"Hey mama," I say barely loud enough to be heard above another wave of laughter, but they do hear me and they quiet down some, "I, uh, thanks for coming over tonight."

"But Hug and I wanted to talk to you," Patrick pipes up.

"Oh," my mom says still smiling. "You two look so serious."

"It's not too serious," I try to ease her mind a little, "Uh, just that," I lick my lips and scratch at the back of my neck. I hadn't actually figured what or how I'm going to tell her. "Uhm, you know how you're always pestering me about…"

Her face lights up and she gushes, "Oh, you're seeing someone!" Then she looks over at Patrick, "You too, honey?"

"Well, yeah," I mumble, "I mean yes, but I have been, actually, for a while. It's just that with work, I, we can't really say anything…"

"You're seeing Dan," my mother continues to beam.

I grit my teeth.

Sometimes, I swear that woman is like a dog with a bone.

"No," I grit out, "I'm not seeing Dan, mama, Dan is my boss, a friend, but will not be anything more."

"Well then who, dear and when can I meet him?" she asks patting my arm.

"You have," I breathe. I draw in another breath and pull mine and Nikki's hand above the table, letting it rest between our dinner plates.

My mother's eyes cut to our linked hands and her eyes grow a little large.

Guess Jill was right.

"I, we didn't, can't say anything because of work. They'll split us up, but I, it's time for you to know. I promised daddy before, he made me promise not to say anything to you…" the rest of the sentence gets caught somewhere between my brain and my lips momentarily but I press on, "He didn't want you to know. I just, I can't keep that promise to him anymore. I'm sorry. I'm sorry for lying to you, but I was only trying to protect you…protect me."

Her mouth hangs open a second before her eyes snap to Patrick. She chokes out, "What did you…" Her eyes travel down to Patrick and Chris' hands linked together across from Nikki and mine. "You…?"

Patrick nods before saying, "I wanted to bring him home and give everyone a chance to know him."

"When?" she manages.

"Uh, well, Chris and I…a while, but me, uhm, I've known since I was fourteen or so," Patrick answers, his chin held a little higher.

"You?" my mother snaps at me.

"I, uh, well, uhm, since I was twenty-one," I answer.

"Oh." Her lips purse and she looks at Chris and Patrick and then turns the same critical eyes to Nikki and me. "How long?" she points a finger between me and Nikki.

"Four years August Twenty-first," I tell her.

"Four years?" she snips.

I nod.

"You?" the demand directed at her eldest.

"Nine," he says.

"You two have been lying to me that long?" The pads of her thumb and ring finger on her right hand rub together furiously.

"I, just, I didn't want…"

"Mama, I couldn't say anything. The military…"

She shakes her head, stopping the excuses falling from our lips. "You two have looked me in the eye and lied to me. For years." Her eyes snap to Bobby and she points a finger at him, "You knew."

Bobby just ducks his head.

The action causes my mother to push back from the table and stand. The set of her shoulders as she plants her hands on the table tells me pretty much all I need to know. Her head comes up and she looks between me and her son. "This isn't how I raised you two. You're daddy, God rest his soul, was stuck in his ways, but he did everything he could to make sure that we had a roof over our heads and food on the table. My job was to make sure that the four of you were raised with a bit of sense and the good graces to respect your parents and their wishes, but this…"

She shakes her head and the tears that were built up spill down her cheeks. "I worry. Do you know what it's like to be in a constant state of worry? Do you know that not a day goes by that I don't worry about each of you? That I hope with everything I have that I did my job okay and you are at least sort of happy and safe?"

"Mama," Patrick tries to cut in and for that I sit stunned as she smacks him across the face, shutting him up.

"You sit right back down Patrick Matthew Delaney!" She waits for him to sit before she ramps right back up, "You know what a parent wants for her children? She wants them to be safe, to be happy, to find someone that they can share their life with so that they know what it's like, what you went through when they have kids of their own. And here you two are, me worrying about you two the most out of the four of you, carrying on, living this life that you didn't even bother to tell the woman that raised you about!" She stops and gives her head a good a shake.

Her head swivels to me and then back to Patrick. "Let's be perfectly clear here, Patrick Michael and Nora Marie, I could give two licks about this whole…" her hand waves around, "but I know for damn sure I raised you two better than this. Do you think that little of me?" Her hand goes up as my mouth opens to say something. "No, you know what; I don't think I really want the answer to that question. Bobby, I'll deal with you on the ride home. I do think it's time to leave."

"Mama, don't, Nikki and I want you to stay," I reach out trying to stop her.

She smacks my hand away and then shoots a glare at Nikki. She looks around, finally taking in the dining room. Her eyes scan the room and she spins around, walking towards the living room. Her head cocks to the side. "You two…that's why I've never been here. You two live together?"

She spins on her heel and goes back to shooting daggers at me. I can only nod.

"Nora and I've lived together for a while, ma'am," Nikki tries to interject. "I know it's a lot to take in, but Nora never meant to hurt you. We have to be careful, you see, at work, they'll separate us…"

"Detective, please don't. Don't sit there and try to make excuses for my daughter," My mom snaps.

"Now look here," Nikki starts in, rising from her seat and letting go of my hand, "I understand your ang…"

"Do you have children?" my mom interrupts her, "No, I don't know why I asked, of course you don't."

Nikki's mouth closes.

"Well, when you and my daughter decide to have kids that you don't want to tell me about then you can tell me how to feel, but right now, you just sit that tail of yours right down and explain to me how you have the audacity to tell me not only how I should feel, but how you have carried on with my daughter behind my back, not even having the common decency to tell me yourself."

This stops Nikki. Her mouth clamps shut, but she doesn't sit down.

"Wait a minute," my lover says after a beat, "I'll give you that I don't, can't understand your perspective, but you will not come into our home and make the woman I love feel guilty for trying to protect you and honor the wishes of her father, the man that made her promise silence about all of this to begin with."

My mother heads to the door, snatching her purse off the back of the chair before yelling for Bobby, "Robert Eugene take me home."

* * *

><p>Resting my hands on her hips, she presses me against the kitchen sink. Her hands run up my arms to lock her fingers behind my neck. Gently, I rest my forehead against hers mindful of the still healing wounds.<p>

Her lips brush against mine as she whispers, "Are you okay?"

I swallow and shake my head. I'm not sure what I am right now. Her grip tightens in response causing me to lean in to her. I shut the rest of the noise, the outside chatter of our family and the inside noise, out to focus on her.

I distill my world down to Nikki Beaumont and finally breathe.

The seconds we are pressed together into an unaccountable number of minutes. We breathe the same air. Her exhale is my inhale as she holds me up.

"Nora," her voice splits the cocoon I've constructed in my head, "It'll be okay."

For some reason, I'm really not that worried. I think I should be...

But…

The only thing I can seem to feel is a very shaky form of relief. It's a lot like how I feel after chasing someone down or actually, it's more like after I've been shot at.

More like that than anything.

Shaky, but relieved.

I let her know this as I press our lips together. Nikki responds readily. I let her probing tongue through and drag my hands north.

We haven't made love in nearly a month. Came close on more than one occasion, but between doctor's orders, interruptions and exhaustion, it's not something…not a way we have reconnected just yet.

If it doesn't happen soon, I may just kill someone.

The counter digs into my back as Nikki uses her knee to press between my legs and force me further into the countertop. I groan and pull back to take a breath, squeezing her sides. Nikki tenses under my touch and grunts.

"Shit, Nik, you okay, I'm sorry," I pull back immediately and apologize.

She waves it off, but her eyes are shiny with tears. "More tender than I thought, sugga." She taps the tip of my nose and smiles. "Seems like it's going to be a bit longer," she husks into my ear, "That or I up my pain meds for an evening."

I manage a thick swallow and nod combination before teasing, "Don't tempt me."

This earns me a smile from her and a loud cough from the archway of the kitchen. Ann rests against the wall with a huge grin on her face. "You know I was coming in here to check on you, but, Nik, it looks like you got it covered."

"Not as well as I'd like," Nikki pouts before looking Ann over and saying, "But I can at least help a little in the living room." She gives me a crooked smile before trying to leave.

As she passes Ann, my friend says, "You can help out by sitting your ass down and not causing any more damage to yourself. We won't be able to keep Nora together if anything else were to happen."

Nikki ignores her and disappears from my line of site. I shake my head and close my eyes. I try to regroup and feel Ann slide up next to me. She bumps our shoulders and asks, "Need anything?"

I shake my head. "I'm actually kinda tired," I admit.

"I can see why," she says simply.

This is not the end of what she wants to say. I can feel it. I open my eyes and turn my gaze towards her. Sapphire blue eyes blink back at me and I raise an eyebrow. "That it? You just come in here to bust up Nikki and I making out in the kitchen or was there more?"

She stares at me for a blink before her a smile breaks across her features. Her left arm slings over my shoulders and I lean my head against her shoulder. "I can worry about you. Hush."

I laugh a little and say, "I think I'm okay. I mean it feels weird. I feel good about being honest with her, but then…she was so pissed off. I mean…" I right myself and run a hand through my hair.

"I can't understand," Ann admits, "I mean really the only people that I had to come out to that meant anything were Lee, Jill and her parents. Those were the only ones that mattered."

I bob my head. "You ever think about what your parents would think?"

Ann shrugs. "I think the real question is whether or not I'd give a shit what they thought…you, though, totally different. And we're not deflecting here…"

"We're not shrinking me."

"Hmm, a little," she says wiggling her eyebrows, "Give it a shot, you may just like it."

"I doubt it," I say dully, "I think I'd rather stick my hand in that blender behind you and turn it on."

"You better not," Nikki says from the exact same position Ann was in a few minutes ago. "That hand will be put use at some point in the very near future and I need you uninjured and carbed up."

Ann's laughter fills the kitchen as I flush from the tips of my ears and down.

"They're kicking us upstairs, by the way…"

"You mean they're kicking you out," Ann guesses.

"Six of one, half a dozen of another," Nikki waves her off. "So we're going to bed."

Ann leans over and kisses my cheek. "G'night, hon." She saunters away and offers Nikki a shoulder squeeze before I hear her holler, "Jilly, why don't we round up your newly acquired gay brothers in arms and take them out for a little fun?"

Jill squeals, "Best. Idea. Ever." Nikki and I look each other over as Jill sing-songs, "Patty, Chrissy, get your selves together, we're going out."

Nikki tries to cover the grin with the back of her hand and I shrug. I move in front of her and take her hand away. "You really tired?" I ask.

She shakes her head and cocks an eyebrow.

Hmm…I love that look.

"My only requirement is that you're gentle." She licks her lips and I nod.

"I can do gentle," I murmur and lean in to nip her ear lobe. She shudders under me before I pull away and lead her upstairs.

I'm going to have to thank Ann later for emptying out the house. She's a sly one.


	10. Stars Hide My Fires

**Stars Hide My Fires**

Nikki casts me a glance over her shoulder, asking, "You gonna be okay?"

I nod. "Yeah, I'll meet you up there."

She nods and shuts the passenger door to Bruce. I watch her stride across the walkway to the station and disappear behind its doors. It doesn't take too long for the door to reopen and Bobby to slip into the cab.

"Hey sis," he offers.

"Hey yourself." I offer him and smile.

He's a goober, but he's a good goober.

"What's up?" I wonder.

He shrugs. "Just wanted to check on you before you two start back to work. Nikki getting cleared by the doc finally is good news. We've missed you two around here."

"Yep, she's going to talk to Dan now. I need to head up. Sign my transfer papers, get settled back in."

"You talk to mama?"

I glare at him from the corner of my eye. "You know I've tried. How is she?"

Bobby shrugs again. "More pissed than anything."

I sigh.

Of course she is.

"I'm sorry," I tell him. "I didn't…"

"Hey, we're family. Your shit is my shit." He smiles at me causing me to smile right back at him. "Want to know something funny?"

"What?" I wonder.

"She asked if I was gay too?" He grins.

"What two homo's in the family aren't enough for her?" I joke.

"Pffft," he puffs out his chest. "Gay my ass. I went out with Stevenson the other night and met this nice little red head…"

"Stop," I warn, holding my hand up, "I don't need to hear anymore."

"You shoulda seen her though, Nor." He cups his hands in front of his chest and jiggles them.

"Oh, just…please, I don't need that mental image," I plead.

His laughter shakes the car. "I could invite ma over to my place and let her walk in on me and a girl."

I shove him against the car door and snort, "Asshole."

He pushes back and says, "Takes one to know one."

I can't argue with that. "When does your shift start?"

"Soon. I need to go and fix up Clive. See if they re-shoed him." He opens the door and slides out. Leaning back in, he offers me another smile and says, "Call me later, maybe if you guys have some time we can grab a bite?"

"Actually, Jill and Ann are leaving tomorrow. We were going to go out to dinner if you want to join us."

He nods. "Sounds like fun. Let me know when and where."

I nod. "Be safe, Robert!" I call after him as he shuts the door.

I let the silence settle back over me before I decide to head in. I slip out of the car, lock him up and head into the station. Bypassing the front desk, I hit the stairs and take them two at a time. As I hit the fourth floor landing, I square my shoulders and head into the bull pen.

I'm surprised when there aren't any officers wandering around. A few at their desk, but the place is definitely subdued. Dan's door is closed, but I stride to it and don't bother knocking.

Dan and Nikki both look at me and I say, "Hey."

"Delaney, good of you to finally show up," Dan jokes and I roll my eyes.

"Bite me, boss," I grin at him and he rolls his eyes. "So, where are we?"

Dan shrugs and extends his hand.

"What?" I ask.

He motions to my hip and I look down at the badge on my hip. Gratefully, I slip it from my hip and slap it in his hand. "This mean I get to come back home?"

"Please," Dan snorts, "I'm was going to kill one of the other detectives if you two didn't start back up today."

"Ah, can't handle the savages Dan?" Nikki purrs.

Dan's lips purse as he ignores Nikki's jibe. "We're actually a little light so you two can start cleaning up the mess on your desks," he says, "We've got cases coming up in court, but other than that, it's been quiet. Sometime today, Nora, I'm going to need you to head down to impound and do something with your car."

"I…" I try to start.

Dan shakes his head. "You two aren't to ask about the case period. I've greased enough wheels that all you need to do is go down there and arrange for whatever you would like for your car."

I clamp my mouth shut and nod.

"Just so you two know, there's been whispers here and there, but it's coming from the uniforms. I'm not sure if it's just locker room chat or if they're looking to stir the pot. You two need to fly under the radar for a few until things settle back down. Catching up on some desk work wouldn't be a bad idea, ladies."

Dan looks pointedly between the two of us.

Nikki and I nod.

"I can do subtle," Nikki answers, "but, I don't know about Nora."

"Muzzle?" Dan asks her.

"I tried that once…she chewed it off," Nikki comes back quicker than I have time to get the 'hey'.

"Hey," I start protest, but shut my mouth when they both grin at me.

Instead I fold my arms across my chest and glare. Them ganging up on me is no fun.

"By the way," Dan looks at Nikki, "Nice choice." He points to her hair.

Oh, no.

Nikki's been whining about her missing patch of hair since she woke up. I shake my head.

Today, she's decided to just put her hair up in a ponytail and let it go. Her words this morning as we were getting ready were, "I can't do anything with nearly half my head shaved!"

I tried to remind her that it was only a small patch comparatively. That earned me a serious glare and a swat to my ass.

"Dan," I try to warn him.

"If you want to keep your manhood intact, Mr. Harney," Nikki warns, "I suggest you let any comments about my hair fall silent. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with it, but for now, no comments from the peanut gallery."

Dan grins but clamps his mouth shut.

"We good?" I ask.

Dan nods and tosses me my old badge.

"You ladies have fun."

* * *

><p>It's a little worse than nails on a chalkboard. The sound of my teeth make as they grind together.<p>

Nikki stands behind me, off to my right.

June Lee sits in front of me. Busted and broken. Bullet holes riddle the left side of my baby – I've counted thirty-two holes alone on the rear fender.

My jaw aches and I'll have bruises on my upper arms from the grip I have on them. Folded across my chest, they ache with tension.

There's not a window in her that's intact. Kernels of glass litter the bed and I'm sure that they're all over the cab too. I just can't bring myself to look inside just yet.

I remember when my dad brought her home. She was busted up pretty bad. We rebuilt the top half of the engine, restored the interior and took her to a friend of the family's for the final paint job. When I wasn't working or in school, Dad and I worked on her. It took us a year and a half, but she was worth it and ready when I finally got my license.

I had looked forward to that day for so long.

It seems like a life time ago.

Dad helped Patrick and Terry with their first cars too. It was a rite of passage for all Delaney children. Pap helped Dad with his first car and then Dad helped us. Dad would tell stories about him and their time together. It was, so he said, the best time he had growing up.

Oddly enough, the time with my dad rebuilding June Lee is some of my most favorite too.

God, I loved him.

I loved June Lee too.

Easing my way up to her, I reach out and run three finger tips along the edge of the bed.

I'm going to miss her.

A lot…

But.

I'm eerily okay with it. What I can't get over is the amount of damage done.

Nikki was in this.

June Lee, as much as it pains me to say this, is collateral damage.

But Nikki…

It could have been so much worse.

I suck in some air and pull the driver's door open. I brush off the shredded seat and slip inside.

The dashboard is damaged beyond repair.

I place a hand on it and lean forward, pressing my lips against the steering wheel.

Part of me understands that she's just a car. The other part feels like I just lost a friend.

An old friend that saved my partner's life.

"Thank you," I murmur against the wheel.

"I'm sorry Nora," Nikki whispers next to me. She's crouched down in the open doorway.

"You're okay," is my reply.

"Yeah, but…"

"No buts, baby. You're okay and that's the most important part," I remind her.

"Okay." I can hear the urge to argue behind that four letter word, but she doesn't press the issue. Instead, she asks, "What do you want to do with her?"

I shrug. "There really isn't much we can do with her. Hell, I'm not even sure if drive-by shootings are covered in our insurance." Idly, I wonder what kind of…

"Hey, what do you think the insurance claim form would be for this?" She cuts into my thoughts.

This causes the left corner of my mouth to curl upward and look her way. "I was just thinking the same thing."

She smiles at me, reaches out and tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. "Why don't we wait then and tell them to hold on to her for a few more days?

I nod. Better idea than what I could have come up with.

"Hey," a deep voice barks behind us.

Nikki and I turn our heads together to see three large men standing behind us.

Trouble is the first word that pops in my head. Two out of the three of them are goons, that much is obvious.

The one on the right is a thick, no neck, no brain white kid that looks like he's trying way too hard to be one of the boys. The other is an averaged sized black kid that looks four years too young to be strapped and running with the third man that rounds out the trio.

His face looks familiar. To familiar. It's on the tip of my tongue.

Nikki beats me to it as she stands and says, "Well, this is a surprise. Darren, how have you been?"

That's Darren Brooks – the prime suspect in the Knox murders and Nikki's shooting.

I shoot out of June Lee and push Nikki behind me.

Darren holds his hands up and looks me over. "This bitch is what to you Beaumont?" Darren spits.

My heart starts a rapid beat and I answer for Nikki, "This bitch is her partner. Back the fuck up."

I feel Nikki grip my left hip.

"Hey there boo, I ain't tryin' to start nothin'. I just came to see if your partner was all right." He hooks a thumb behind him and says, "We seen'd what happened in front of Jenny's house. Called the medics." His arms fold across his chest as my eyes narrow. "I stopped by the hospital, you was there, passed out in a chair next to her…"

"Oh, bullshit, you're probably responsible for ordering the hit," I snarl.

Darren's weight shifts from his left to right foot, he sighs and rolls his eyes. "Woah, woah, ain't no one in my crew pull the trigger. Don't get that twisted, we had nothin' to do with that bit of insanity."

"Prove it," I challenge.

"Your partner came to us the day before she got popped. Made a ruckus at a party. Demandin' some information. I had one of my boys drop it off to her the next morning 'cause just in case you didn't get the info, Jenny and I were a thing. I wanted her shooters caught more than any of you."

"So you know who did it?" Nikki asks behind me.

Wait, just back the fuck up. When was she at his house? When did she do this? Where the fuck was I?

Darren nods. He looks between the two of us. I'm not sure what he's trying to figure out, but right now I don't care. Right now, what I really want is answers from Nikki.

He licks his lips and says, "The day you came in lookin' to catch a case, I figured it out. You thought it was me. Well, you're little show rattled a few cages and shook a bird loose. The next day when Taps lil brother dropped you that note, the car that shot you up belonged to a cat."

I raise an eyebrow as Nikki asks, "You didn't happen to mention that to any of the cops did you?"

Darren shrugs. "Wouldn't do no good. Like I said. I just wanted to make sure you were all right. You got a pair on you. I like that. I also take care of my own, you know what I'm sayin'. You won't have any more trouble, de-tect-ive." His arms drop and he goes to this relaxed stance. "You need anything else, don't come creepin' up my way. We square."

Him and his two goons back away and disappear around a pile of cars. I start to go after him, but Nikki stops me with a hand on my arm and a shake of her head.

Just what the fuck?

* * *

><p>I slam the driver's side door of Bruce and stalk up our walkway, following Nikki. She won't answer me and I'm fucking fed up with it.<p>

She pushes our side door open and I slip in, pushing it closed behind me. I hear four people in the living room and know that everyone is home. I roll my eyes.

I can't deal with this right now.

"Nikki," I call after her.

She ignores me and starts up the steps.

My jaw flexes and I snap, "Don't fucking walk away, Nik!"

My tone and volume cause the T.V. and voices in the living room to pause, but it does nothing to stop Nikki.

"Damnit!" I take off up the stairs and ignore Ann calling after me.

The bathroom door slams shut just as I reach the landing and I hear the lock engage. I move quickly through the side sitting room, side step the blow up mattress Ann and Jill have been using and into our bedroom. The other door to the bathroom is locked too.

"Damnit, Nikki," I growl and smack my hand against the barrier. "What the hell was Brooks talking about?"

"Please, Nora, just let it go," she whines.

"Nikki, you have two seconds to open this goddamn door or so help me I will bust this fucking thing down!" I step back and take a more firm stance, preparing to kick it in if I have to.

A half second before I'm ready to kick, the door lock clicks and it swings open. Nikki stands in front of my, her arms folded across her chest, hip jutted out to the side. Her eyebrow arcs and disappears under her bangs as she asks, "A little dramatic, don't you think?"

"Not when I can't get an answer out of my girlfriend that just took three bullets and got my car shot to holy hell. What the fuck was Brooks talking about Nikki? What did you do?"

She pushes past me and stands by the closet. "It's not important," she hisses.

My mouth drops open.

"Not important!"

"Yes, Nora, not important."

"You…" I have no idea what to say to that…

She mistakes my silence for agreement as she steps up to me and reaches out to place her arms around me. I back up and end up bumping into our dresser. The contents on the top rattle and I hear a bottle topple over. "No. No, no you don't get to tell me it's not important Nikki. You don't get to stand here and tell me that sitting by your bedside, while you were comatose, isn't important," I seethe.

"Nora, please," she pleads.

"Shut up. Just shut up or tell me what the hell he was talking about, goddamnit! I nearly fucking lost you! All I could think about for days, for fucking weeks is that you nearly fucking died! I wouldn't get to hear you laugh or see you smile. I wouldn't…" my throat closes up and I swallow. "I wouldn't get to hear you tease me or see…" I choke out before the first tears fall.

"Did you see," I hiss, "did you see June Lee?" I point behind me, to the general direction I think my car's in. "Did you see the bullets holes? You nearly fucking died and you're standing there telling me it's not fucking important!"

I step up to her and grip her upper arms, willing her to understand what's rolling through me right now. If she could just feel…

"I've been terrified for weeks! The nightmares…the image of you laying in that bed…" I sob finally.

I feel her arms close around me as my knees give out and she lowers us to the floor. It hurts.

I can't breathe, can't hear past my sobs and Nikki's muted voice whispering in my ear. Kisses pepper my face, my head, and her hands stroke up and down my back.

Eventually, I get myself under control and can hear the words she says over and over, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

I curl into her and tighten my hold. She can't do that. She can't just apologize and think that that's it. "What did you do?" I mumble wetly against her neck.

"I was pissed and busted into Brooks' house party. Said a few things. Demanded information. I was waiting for those answers when the shooting happened. Nora, I'm sorry. I didn't think. I was just so mad," she whispers against the top of my head. "I was mad at you, the situation, myself." She snickers and amends, "I was really mad at you and I wasn't thinking."

"You can't do that," I state. "You can't be all apologetic and sweet. I'm still pissed at you," I whine as I feel her laugh underneath me.

She pulls back and smooths the hair from my face; takes her thumbs and wipes away the tears still leaking. I fucking hate crying. I get all snotty and stuffy and blotchy. I see her give me a watery smile and I just stare back at her. Unable to tear my eyes away from hers.

"I hate you," I finally say a little thicker than I want.

She smiles at me and leans forward, resting her forehead against mine. Our noses press together, our lips barely touch and she nods. "I know."

"Promise you won't get shot at anymore?" I plead. I don't know why I ask. I can't expect her to keep that promise. I can't expect our lives to be danger free, but I need the illusion.

Just for right now.

"Okay," she says simply.

I know it's a promise she's going to break.

My bitter laugh tells her as much.

"I'm glad you won't hold me to that, sugga," she mumbles and pecks my lips.

"I still hate you," I grumble.

"I know. I still love you."

Christ.

"I'm a fucking mess," I say.

I feel her shrug before she whispers, "Can I tell you a secret?"

"Always."

"I am too." I feel her smile, even with my eyes closed, I feel that smirk playing at her lips and it's kind of annoying.

I roll my eyes behind my closed lids.

I'm not sure what causes the next words to pour from my lips but I don't stop them, "Nik, I was just so scared. When I saw June Lee and then Brooks. I can't lose you. You can't do shit like that, not without me there."

"I won't," she vows and this time I know that's a promise she'll keep.

"I love you," I say in response.

"I hate you," she replies and it causes us to dissolve into a fit of giggles.

Somehow we manage to end up on our sides looking at each other. I sober when her hand brushes over my hip and she pulls me to her.

"We okay?" she asks gently, tentatively.

"Yeah," I sigh.

"Good," she grins, "Now kiss me. I wanna get to the make-up part of this fight." She wiggles her eyebrows at me and I smack her arm. I don't have time for a vocal response before her lips crash into mine.


	11. Exactly How

**Exactly How…**

"How long have we been coming here?" Jill asks before draining the last of her beer.

I shrug and look around Phantoms. No clue. I know that there are the regulars, the semi-regulars and the ones that are new to the club.

Ann is the one that answers her partner, "Since I moved here." Her lips purse as her brows knit together.

"Baby, you moved here like, forever ago," Jill whines and scoots her glass closer to Ann. Her head rests on Ann's shoulder and she begins to play with Ann's left hand with her right.

"Not that long ago," Ann and I say at the same time. Really, it wasn't that long ago.

"Uh," Jill snickers, "Try July of Ninety. Fifteen years ago, baby. Fucking for-ever ago."

My eyebrows knit together and Ann looks down to meet her wife's wide brown eyes blinking back up at her. "That's not forever, Jill, that's like a while ago," Ann grumbles while Jill uses her left hand to scoot Ann's beer closer to her.

"Comparatively," Jill smiles as her hand wraps around the half full mug, "You're thirty-six, thirty-seven in October. Divide thirty-six by fifteen and you get nearly half, a little less, but still…" She pokes her wife's side and proclaims, "For you, fifteen years is half your life." She punctuates the math with a little firm nod of her head and bats her lashes for added effect. "Forever."

"Smartass," Ann proclaims and pecks waiting lips. As she pulls back, she stops Jill's lips from meeting the mug she readying to drink from and takes it away. "You're not that slick. Mine."

The table laughs as Jill begins to pout and her bottom lip juts out. "But mine's empty," she whines.

"Tough cookies, doll," my friend wiggles her eyebrows and goes to take a sip as she stares down her wife.

The pout deepens on Jill.

Nikki's fingertips swirl along the inside of my thigh.

Ann caves and hands over her beer.

"Pushover," Nikki laughs.

Jill just claps her hands before accepting the frosty beverage and drains it.

"Hey," Patrick speaks up from next to Bobby and Chris. His eyes are a little glassy. I don't think I've ever seen my brother appropriately hammered. "Wait a second, you," he points to Jill, "you were at Nora's and Ann's graduation party." His fingers snap and he grins. "I remember now!"

We all kind of stop and stare at this. This was news?

I can't help but rib him, "You just now putting that together, genius?"

"Where the hell have you been?" Ann follows up.

Patrick dismisses both of us with a wave of his hand. "She just looks really familiar. I've been trying to place her since the hospital." He smiles proudly and states, "I just figured it out…was driving me nuts!"

"No," his partner chimes in, "She looks familiar to me too."

Those that aren't complete morons exchange looks and smirk. Jill only talks about what she does when directly questioned. Most of the time, she gives a half truth about working in advertising. Not something I completely understand about the woman. On one level, she's confidence and I swear if I didn't know any better, she'd have a brass set, but then with her work, she's not.

I sip my Jack and coke to keep the snickering to a minimum.

Patrick leans against Chris, draping his arm over his lover's shoulders and coos into his neck, "Maybe I'm just rubbing off on ya." He blinks and stares at Chris a minute before his face breaks out into a grin. "You're just so damn cute."

Chris pats the side of my brother's face and grins back. "Love you too and you have rubbed off on me but that's not it. Jill reminds me of this ad I saw…some model standing next to a set of amps and guitars."

My brow furrows and I lean into Nikki and whisper, "I think I'm going to be sick."

She rests her cheek against the top of my head and whispers back, "Why?"

"'Cause, seeing my brother, get cuddly and exchange innuendo with someone is kinda freaking me out," I answer back.

I feel Nikki chuckle and she says, "He's a sappy drunk and handsy…much like his sister. Hmmm," she purrs and I feel a blunt nail inch higher along the inside of my thigh, "must run in the family."

Before I have a chance to respond, Chris gets a little louder, "The model was pretty, but," he wiggles a finger at Jill, "…you look a lot like her, you're prettier… what was her name…something Ness. Last name. First was…Jennifer? Michelle? Jessica…?"

It takes another second of floundering before his eyes turn to slits and he says, "Jillian, her name is Jillian." Cocking his head to the side with a lock of hair falling across his forehead, staring at Jill, I can't help but agree with my brother; Chris isn't hard on the eyes.

"Jilly, baby, please put our newly acquired friend out of his misery," Ann pleads.

Rolling her eyes, Jill relents and stage whispers, "Don't hurt yourself, Chrissy, that was me."

"Eh?" Patrick's head lifts up.

"You're a model?" Chris asks a little flustered.

Jill nods.

"Uh, cool," Chris says and lets it go.

"Well, now that that mystery is solved, I need more alcohol," Ann declares. "Who wants what?"

A few orders are rattled off and I stand following my friend to the bar. Casey's not in tonight. The new bartender, Jim Bo, says that she went to visit family out of town.

Casey doesn't have any family.

I plan on calling her tomorrow to see what's going on. We don't hang out near enough, but we both make it a point to keep in touch.

"So," Ann starts as we wait out the three people ahead of us at the bar, "Everything okay?"

I shoot my ex a look and get a cocky half grin in return.

"I was gonna come up and stop the argument," she offers and drawls, "but…by the look of that hickey on your neck, I'm glad Jill stopped me."

Immediately my hand goes up to rub self-consciously at the mark. I stammer, "We, uh, yeah, we got…got it worked out."

Sighing at the look being given to me, I admit, "We went to look at June Lee. Then there was a run in with a local dealer and I had a…" the word 'meltdown' catches in my throat and I manage, "a moment."

"Hmm," Ann clucks and rocks back on heels, "is that what we're calling it?"

I can only nod as we shuffle forward.

Her arm reaches out and snakes around my waist, pulling me to her. "Just to remind you, stubborn ass, if you need to talk, I'm here."

"I know," I nod, "I'm good."

I don't look at her, but I know she's studying me, trying to gauge just how "good" I am. She must find it suitable as she says, "Jill and I talked, we can stay another week if you want us too. John even told me to make sure Nikki was okay before coming back."

"She's okay, I'm okay, but tell John thanks. You need to get back to your own life."

"Woah, there Nora," Ann balks and snips, "Don't give me that shit. You're like…"

"If you say I'm like your sister, I'm going to pop you," I warn.

Her face scrunches and she shakes her head. "That's just gross. That'd mean incest and let's be real here. If Jill weren't in the picture and Nikki weren't in the picture…" Her eyebrow arcs and we both grin.

"Fire, Annie," I chide, "Why are we playing with it?"

She shrugs, "Just being honest. You're numero two on my priority list." Her voice drops and she leans into me, "It's not impossible to love two people at once."

"Ann," I warn.

"Let me be honest about this," she waggles a finger between the two of us, "just for right now. Just don't fucking insult me, Nor and say that my life doesn't involve you." She pokes her finger in my chest. "So let's cut the bullshit and own up to it. I know you have Patrick here and Chris, but…"

"They're not you or Jill," I answer allowing her the meager confession. "And yes, I'd love for you guys to stay…" I cut off the forever and let it go. "But you two have a lot going on."

She sobers a moment, giving me a look that says she understands. "I thought I'd put it out there. How are you and Patrick doing?"

"What do you mean?" I ask feeling like I missed something on the topic change.

"I dunno," she shrugs, "It's just a lot to take in. The last time we really talked was the day after your birthday. Things seemed good, but then…" she motions behind us, "like everything went all…it…"

"Shit hit the fan?" I supply. She readily shakes her head and I shrug. "When it rains it pours," I say as we finally make it up to the bar.

Ann places our orders and our conversation dies off as we wait for them to be filled. Leaning against each other, we turn and watch our table. Jill and Nikki are leaning into each other, laughing as they wipe away tears. It looks like Pat was telling a story and by Bobby's face, I'm thinking that it was about him.

"Ladies," I hear behind us. We turn and grab the freshly poured drinks and make our way back to the table to resume the night's festivities.

* * *

><p>The street's quiet for a Tuesday morning. The sun is just barely starting to rise. For all intents it looks to be shaping up like a wonderful day, but the morning still sucks.<p>

So I do what any reasonable adult would do and make light of the situation, "Thank God you two are leaving today." I smile at the three brunettes standing around and mock, "If I had to hear 'Damn baby right there' or 'Oh, fuck, Jill, yes,' one more time, I was going to muzzle you both."

Nikki gives me a half hearted snicker and Jill's lips press together. It's Ann that gives as good as she gets, "Ha! You're one to talk with the wails of 'Nikki's I've been subjected to or the tell-tale rhythmic squeak and bump of the bed and head board…" She arcs an eyebrow at me and I know I'm in for it as she goes in for the kill, "Nor can I get the mental image caused by the misfortunate overhearing of Nikki's labored bemoaning about sitting on your face."

"Oh. My. God." Nikki squeaks. It's an amazement to me because out of all the sounds I've heard my lover make or tone of voice used, I don't recall ever hearing that sound past those lips. It also does something to me to know that she can at least be a little embarrassed.

It makes me a little bolder.

I shrug off Ann's jibe and grin at her instead. "I'm just trying to do my part to debunk the lesbian death bed myth."

"Oh," Ann is all smiles, "I'm sure Jilly will help me, help you. Would video proof help?"

The woman in question finally speaks up, "Hey, I told you those tapes stay under lock and key." She swats Ann's arm for emphasis and goes to do it again, but Ann grabs her wrist and spins her so that Ann's back is to Jill's front with the model's arms pinned to her side.

Sighing, I run a hand through my hair and whine, "You two should just move back down here."

"You two should just move up to Virginia," Jill retorts.

The four of us look at each other before we all shake our heads.

It would be…I don't want to leave New Orleans. It's my home, but…

I can't say it's not tempting.

"Have a safe flight," Nikki manages to find her voice and accepts the group hug from the couple.

They turn their sites on me when they let Nikki go. "Love you Nora," Ann and Jill say at the same time. I squeeze them back just as hard finding it harder this time for some reason to let them go.

I brush a few stray tears away as they get in their rental and drive off. Two hands pop out of the side windows and wave.

Nikki's arm slips around my waist as she plants a kiss to the side of my head. "Come on," she says, "Let's get ready for work. If we're quick, you may even have time to scrub my back."

I smile and turn us around. She knows how to take my mind off just about everything.

* * *

><p>"Explain why you wanted to arrive early today, sugga?" Nikki purrs from across our desks.<p>

I look around at the near empty bull pen, Jesse and Georgia and Dom and Benny aren't in yet. The case board has one active on it and three closed. The only people here are three uniforms over in the corner keeping to themselves. Then there's Nikki and I.

My lips pinch together and I get annoyed that I made us finish up our shower earlier than either of us would have preferred. The only bonus to this crappy morning was finding out that Patrick can cook. He had bacon and eggs ready for us when we came down the stairs.

Shaking my head, I say, "Not really sure. Seemed like a good idea at the time. Second day back and all."

She clucks her tongue and gives me a pointed look before going back to the small stack of files that Dan asked us to review. I'm not sure why we're actually doing this. They're old cases. Opened before I was even in the unit, but never closed.

One rape-homicide and a missing person's case sit open on my desk. Nikki's holds a string of B & E's that started six summer's ago and ended at the same time. Three stores, three different neighborhoods. My cases are more gruesome. The techs that responded did a good job of collecting the evidence, cataloging and photographing everything along the way. Maybe I'll head down to the basement and see if I can pull the physical evidence still on file. The vic for the rape-homicide was a thirty-two year old married accountant.

I get that most crimes are one of opportunity and victims can be just as unfortunate as the person that sat next to them at a movie, but…it's nagging at me.

"Delaney, Beaumont," Dan barks as he strides into the pen. He's all smiles in his light blue button up, pale yellow tie and gray slacks. "Nice to see you two at your desks." He doesn't break his stride as he barks over his shoulder, "I want you two in front of my desk in ten minutes. Give me a chance to get settled in and then we need to talk."

Nikki and I exchange a look or four and I wince as his door shuts a little harder than what I know he intended it too.

"Oh," Benny says as he breezes through, Dom trailing behind him with a tray full of coffee cups and a pink box from the café down the street balanced on top. "Looks like someone pissed Dad off." Benny stops and takes the box from his partner. He pulls it open and offers Nikki and I our first pick of the fresh beignets from the box. I pluck one and Nikki picks two. "Which is surprising, you two ladies ain't been back a whole forty-eight hours yet."

"Thanks," we say at the same time while I fill in, "Dan's got a bug up his ass. I usually get the fallout from it, but what's the occasion on the early morning charity?"

Benny lays a hand on my shoulder in commiseration then explains, "Dom lost on Saturday." He also plunks two large cups of coffee down on our desks.

It must be our luck day.

"Bet?" Nikki asks while covering her mouth trying to finish the bite of pastry.

"Numb nuts over here thought it'd a good thing to bet on the Hornets." Benny shakes his head. "We don't have that great of a line up this year. I'm not sure what the hell my partner was thinking."

Dom stands behind his partner and grumbles, "Ain't no way I was bettin' on some other team. Fuckin' trader. You and the damn Celtics."

Benny laughs and shrugs. "Just 'cause I got actual loyalties to my teams…" he wags a finger at Dom. "You're just sore 'cause I got you on the over under. Let's wait 'till the WNCAA Sweet Sixteen."

Dom's face sours and her grumps again, "I don't follow women's college basketball."

Shaking his head, Benny winks at us and gathers up the box of beignets. "One day Dom, one day, we'll get your head on straight. The boys are fun to watch don't get me wrong, but you ain't gonna see a more passionate game played when you watch those college girls. Shit, I'd shit my pants and piss myself before taking one of them on."

"Thanks again guys," I call out to them. Dom turns around and offers me a good natured grin before telling his partner to 'shut the fuck up about that shit'.

Looking over at Nikki, I motion to Dan's door. She nods and grabs her coffee.

"Let's see what your ex-partner in crime's got lined up for us," Nikki teases as we make our way to the door.

My partner doesn't bother knocking before swinging the door open and sauntering in.

Dan's head looks away from his computer screen and he smiles at us.

"You take your medication?" I ask as I plop down in my designated chair.

"Hardy har har, Nora," Dan snips. "Being a smart ass Delaney won't change what I have to say." He looks between Nikki and I. The look he gives us causes my tongue to firmly plant itself in my cheek. Something's up.

"Dan," Nikki says, "What's going on?"

The muscles in his jaw bunch as he pushes away from his desk a little bit. "I had an early morning meeting with Hosli. There were a few other Lieu's involved. I do this once every six months, personnel updates, stats on how our performance is." He rubs the back of his neck. "Uh, we were discussing the units current lineup and Hosli feels it's in the best interest of our unit and individual development to do a little shuffling. Jesse and Georgia have been partners for the shortest amount of time, but Benny and Dom have been partners longer than everyone else. You two are next."

"Tell me you aren't saying what I think you're saying?" Nikki snaps.

"I'm sorry you two. I wanted to talk to you two before I talked to Dom and Benny. We've got more at stake here and I don't know how much of this is caused by the recent rumblings from your stint in the hospital. I know it has something to do with it." Dan can't meet my eyes.

"Is it permanent?" I choke out, unable to really get past what I'm hearing. The last time Nikki and I were split up, I nearly got blown up and we took a hellish break from our relationship. I'd just as soon forget that ever happened.

Dan shrugs. "I don't think so. I'm going to try for it not to be and hey, it could be a good thing right?" He looks a little skeptical as the words leave his mouth, "Maybe we can get things to quiet down some with you two not working together for a little while. Hell," he grins, "you could end up like working with someone else."

My face sours even further.

"We done?" I snap.

Dan nods. "I need to talk to the dynamic duo and then I think everyone will be in here for a unit roll out."

"Fine," Nikki and I say at the same time.

I just fucking knew this day was going to fucking suck.

As we step out of the office, Nikki calls out, "Butch, Sundance, Lieu wants to see you."

They nod and Dom hands me a piece of paper, "Your mother, very sweet lady by the way, dropped this off for you. She wanted to chat, but we told her you were in with Dan. So she gave this to me." He shrugs as I mumble my thanks.

Nikki gives me a look as I slit the envelop open and read the letter.

_Nora,_

_You and Nikki are to be home on Sunday at five p.m. for family supper. Terry, Joanie and the boys will be down for a visit. Your brothers have already been informed. _

_Mom _

I pass the letter to Nikki and watch her jaw drop a little.

Maybe we can jump in the Pontchartrain together before Sunday rolls around.


	12. Does This Grace Thing Work?

** …Does This Grace Thing Work?**

"You," Nikki growls and smacks my wandering hand away before going back to fixing her makeup.

"Nikki," I whine and send her a mock pout before turning my attention to my vanity in the bathroom to fix my hair. She won't let me distract myself by trying to peel that outfit off her.

I mean I've seen her in clothes that she's been in that were meant to kill.

Literally.

She has this black and red number that's stopped my heart on more than one occasion, but…

Tonight it's different.

Tonight it's a pair of designer jeans, pre worn-in and faded expertly, that hugs her hips and ass while elongating her already long legs. It makes me slightly uncomfortable due to the amount of heat they've generated in areas that should not heat up when you're preparing to go see your mother, brother, sister-in-law and two nephews.

To top it off, the bra she has on is black lace and it's been beggin' me to take it off her. Unfortunately, she's gone and covered it up with one of my concert t-shirts.

Not Annie's first choice for a show, but I wanted to go so bad that she caved and took me to see Gun's 'N Roses at the Superdome with Metallica. I loved seeing Axel Rose and the rest of the band, but I was never a big fan of Metallica. That night didn't make me a convert either. The shirt is fitted, not too tight, but it hugs her chest in such a way…

What I don't understand in all of this is why Nikki Beaumont is choosing this particular look. I would have thought she would go for something a little more…well, something like work attire. So I ask, "Nik, uh, why the outfit?"

I watch a manicured eyebrow arc in the mirror as Nikki finishes applying her lip gloss. "Because it's comfortable and I'm closer to you."

"Closer to…"

She drops the tube in her open purse before turning to me and propping a hip against the bathroom sink. "Your shirt, Nora. I just want…" Her lips purse as she trails off. Her eyes scan the floor and she runs a hand gently through her hair before she starts up again, "I want something of yours on me. I'm more nervous tonight than last weekend."

"Oh." I reach out and hook a finger through an exposed belt loop on her jeans. Pulling her to me, I rest my arms on her shoulders and say, "Well, my shirt looks good on you." Mindful of her make-up, I peck the tip of her nose and follow up with, "You can wear my clothes anytime. As long as I get to take them off."

A smirk plays at the corner of her mouth as she nods. "I think that's fair." She pulls away a little and swats my ass. "Let's go collect that brother of yours."

I let her slip past me so I can watch her saunter away. Dutifully, I follow her down the stairs to meet up with the rest of our party. I round the corner into the living room and see the two men in the house looking at a few pictures. I look them over and see that my brother is in a pair of pressed jeans and a green button up dress shirt. It's just as crisp as the jeans. Idly, I wonder if the crease in the pants would cut if you ran your finger along the edge.

Knowing Pat, probably.

His partner is in fitted black slacks and a black V-neck tee. A black blazer completes the look.

It's Nikki who comments on the shoes, "Are the shoes a sign of solidarity of your people or did you just catch a sale at Banana Republic?" She taps her chin with her index finger and amends, "Although they do look lovely on you both."

Chris blushes and mumbles, "So I have an exorbitant line of credit at the store. Gonna arrest me officer? And for the record, you two look good as well." He snags Pat's hand and asks, "Shall we be off to face the firing squad?"

I shrug and take Nikki's hand in mine to wait on Chris and Pat to pass us so we can lock up, but as Chris pulls at Pat, my brother falters. I shoot a look at the oldest of the Delaney clan and don't really like what I see. "Nik, take Chris to Bruce. Lemme have a chat with Patrick."

Nikki nods and drops my hand. "Come on, Chrissy. Let's leave the two and allow me to pick your brain about the upcoming Spring fashion. Who do you follow?"

I don't hear Chris' response as I give my brother a slight push towards the couch. He flops back down causing the shirt he wears to strain along the chest and arms. I try to tease him, "Do you purposefully get the shirts too small?"

He shakes his head. "They're either too big around the middle if I get a size bigger and too loose in the shoulders. This is the best I can do. Too broad shoulders are a pain in the ass."

I lean back against the cushions next him and bump shoulders before laying my head on the too broad shoulder he was just complaining about. "You're supposed lead here big brother."

He grunts.

"What's up?"

"Nerves," he sighs. "Terry's gonna be there and we really ain't talked for… I call to say hey to the kids during the birthdays and holidays but other than that…" I feel his head shake. "I'm not sure if having him here is the best thing. Especially so soon after…I mean mama came by and told us to be there the same day you got your note, but…" His chest rises and falls. The body underneath ripples with a tension that I'm not used to from him.

"Look," I grab his hand needing him to know that we're in this bit of a mess together, "Annie gave me some solid advice, you wanna hear it?"

"Sure, she's an all right girl in my book. Jill's a damn riot. I can see why you like them."

"They're special. We've been through a lot together, and they're family. Don't forget that. I gave Jill your number…you can probably expect a checkup phone call in a week or so. She's really good for them. But," I let his hand go and go for the ring on his finger, spinning it with my index and thumb. When he first got here, it sat on his right ring finger. After last Sunday, it moved to match Chris' on his left. "What Annie said is that we did the best we could. You know she's right it's not like we could have prepared mama any better than we did. She may feel like we gave her, well that we kind of dumped this on her, but was there another way?"

He shrugs.

"Pat seriously, between Jill giving us every pamphlet known to creation about how to come out, all of them said pretty much the same thing. Carb up and just rip it off like a band aid. Which we did. Hallmark doesn't make coming out cards…"

"Although, I think it's an untapped market if you ask me," he butts in.

I snicker. "Maybe they can partner with FTD and like do a flower arrangement or something."

His own snicker fills my ears.

"Besides, if you're really worried about Terry, brother of mine or not, he tries to lay a hand on anyone there, I'll have him in cuffs so fast he won't even notice."

"Or, knowing you, you may just kick the living shit out of him," Patrick snorts.

I shrug. Maybe. "Regardless of what I do…the point is that it ain't just you and him anymore. We know. You know about me."

"NOLA Pride Parade?" he questions.

"Fat chance dip shit. I'm just sayin'…"

"Yeah, yeah…you got my back," he says.

"Nikki's got it too. And let me tell you, my girl has a searing right hook. Don't go near her feet either. I've seen her drop a few people with those feet and knees." I stand and hold my hand. "You ready?"

He nods and I lose sight of my own hand in his. I pull him up and he wraps me in a hug. "Thanks, Huggy. You and Nik have been great. I don't think…"

"Say another word," I mumble into his chest, "And I'm going to begin questioning your manhood."

"You mean the idea that I may bottom doesn't question it already?" he rumbles against me.

I feel my face heat up and shake my head. "I haven't put that much thought into how you take it."

"Good to know." He laughs a little more and we break a part.

He smiles at me again. Green eyes a little brighter and shinier than what I'm used to seeing. I sigh and head towards the front. Ann's gonna gloat when I tell her about this. Their damn pep talks have started to rub off.

* * *

><p>Patrick and Chris lead the march up the sidewalk to my childhood home. I squint and look up into the cloudy sky and tug on my jacket. It's a little chilly and it's threatening to rain sometime soon. The only thing this tells me is that Joanie has probably kept the kids cooped up all day.<p>

Poor guys.

I mean my sister-in-law isn't that bad and we get on most of the time, but she's just so…anal about the boys. And I swear she's just like this when I'm around to get on my nerves. The last time they were down, we had a bar-b-q. It was hot, the boys were bored, so I brought some water balloons and side walk chalk. My thoughts were we could draw on the sidewalk and then use the water balloons to help wash some of it off.

Joanie threw a conniption carrying on about the mess and them getting wet. It didn't seem to register with her that when I arrived they were in t-shirts and swim trunks.

I shake it off and give Nikki a reassuring smile, making sure our fingers are laced together. She's been a little fidgety and it sets me on edge when she's nervous.

We're about to hit the porch when two tawny headed objects come flying out the front door with Joanie calling after them.

"Aunt Nora! Uncle Patrick!" Joshua and Brandon call out at once. I quickly move next to my brother and drop down to one knee. Patrick follows suit and we end up with one nephew each. At six and eight, they're about as rambunctious as you can get. I lose Josh in my arms and kiss the top of his head.

"Hey rug rat," I laugh against his hair as he tries to squirm away. Brandon gives his brother a shove towards his uncle and grabs me around the neck. "Hey, there big guy."

"Auntie Nora," Brandon coos into my neck. I pull him away and feel a sharp tug at my hair. I stop and look down to see a cherry red Tootsie Pop tangled in my hair.

"Uh-oh," Brandon and Josh say at the same time.

Josh follows up with, "Someone's gonna be in trouble."

"Hush, you two," I say and grab for the hair tie around my wrist.

"Here," Nikki says, taking the tie and separating out the rest of my hair from the pieces tangled in the sucker.

Chris and Patrick are snickering behind me as Joanie comes out of the front door.

"Brandon Terry Delaney, what did you do?" Joanie begins to scold.

"Nothing," I cover for my nephew. "We had a little run in with a sucker. Nothing major." I try to wave her off and stand up wiping my hands on my jeans. "Uh, Joanie, this is my…uhm…"

I feel Nikki's hand at the small of my back before I see it reach out to shake Joanie's and introduce herself, "Nikki Beaumont."

"Oh," my sister-in-law squeaks and blindly accepts the hand being offered.

"And Chris, this is my sister-in-law, Joanie," Patrick introduces them.

"Hi, Chris Zermano." My brother's partner turns on the charm and offers Joanie a bright white toothed smile.

"Nora, Patrick," my mother calls from the door way, "I suggest you all get in the house. We can make the introductions inside." My mother looks pointedly at me and Patrick and I sigh.

Right.

She's gonna be a bit harder to deal with.

Deciding that I should tackle this like I would a case at work, I square my shoulders and wait for the boys and Joanie to head inside before shooting Patrick a look. Knowing that he needs me right now just as much as I needed him last Sunday, I reach for Nikki's hand and pull her forward to take the lead.

Coming into the living room, Terry stands up from his place on the couch and I hold my finger up and point to my hair. "Be right back. Nik, you think you can…?" I point to my hair and the bathroom.

She nods and we start to set off towards the restroom, but my mother's voice stops us in our tracks, "Nora, I'll help you with that. Patrick join us."

I really don't think I've heard that tone since high school.

Shooting Nikki an apologetic look, I feel Patrick tug on my jacket sleeve and pull me down the hall into the restroom. My mother's sitting on the closed toilet and points to the bathtub indicating that we should take a seat.

I take a seat on the edge of the tub and Patrick sits down next to me. The edges of his knees touch the doors of the cabinet underneath the sink across from us. Our mother stands and hands me a wet washcloth. "That should get it out enough so that we don't have to cut your hair."

Sighing, I pick the lollipop up and begin a tug-wipe combo that should free up the largest clump the sucker's stuck to.

"I wanted a private word," our mother starts out, "I told Terry and Joanie when they came in on Friday night." Her jaw clenches and releases. "I supposed that fight you got into right before you left for boot camp has been explained."

"Ma…" Patrick tries to start.

"Don't interrupt me young man," she warns. "So, we're just going to air a few things out, not in front of strangers…"

"Mama, it wasn't…" I try to explain to her.

"Do you think you can interrupt me when I just told your brother to not do exactly that?" Her foot taps off the linoleum that hasn't been replaced in twenty-five years. I shake my head. "Good. Now, then, let's get this straight. I'm so upset at you two for lying to me I could…believe you me, the thought of having you two go pick a switch has crossed my mind a few dozen times."

She sighs and rolls her eyes at my attempt to remove the sucker. Swatting my hands out of the way, she takes over the task and continues to speak, "But I understand you both are too old for that which is unfortunate for me. Also, just so we're clear on the whole…" her voice drops to a stage whisper, "gay thing," and she's back to her normal volume when she says the rest, "I don't approve. I don't like it. I think it's wrong."

"Mama, how co…" Patrick stops talking when she pops him in the forehead.

"I warned you," she growls, "Now zip it and lemme finish. Just 'cause I don't think it's right doesn't mean that I don't love you two any less. That being said, I respect your right to live your life like you see fit." Pain flashes across her face as she chokes out the next few words, "I'll do my best to get to know your…friends, but I ain't makin' any promises either."

She tugs a little more on my hair and the sucker pulls free. It has only a few strands of hair attached to it. She holds it up and squints at her handy work before dumping it in the waste paper basket. "I expect you to be on your best behavior while your brother's in town with my grandchildren. Are we clear?"

I'm not too sure what that's supposed to mean, but given the tone, I readily nod my head. At our agreement, she swings the door open and disappears. Patrick is the first to follow her out and as I stand, Nikki's head appears around the door frame.

"Sugga?"

I blink and look up from my seat. I shrug. She steps into the small bathroom and closes the door behind her. "You okay?"

I nod again. "Yeah. Just…uh," I rub at my forehead and try to figure out the last five minutes of my life. Nikki's hand closes over my left and she leans against my side.

"You wanna cut outta here and take off with me to Puerto Rico?" she asks. Turning into me, her left middle and index finger walk up and down my thigh. "I know where we can score us a boat and the perfect spot on a private beach in San Juan for some clothing optional sunbathing."

I chuckle and shake my head. "Maybe when we get some more vacation time racked up."

"Hmmm," she purrs against my neck. "I will hold you to that, Nora."

"Come on, crazy, let's go see what my family's up to," I stand and hoist her up. I lean in for a peck and whisper before we leave the safety of the bathroom, "Love you."

* * *

><p>"So," Terry booms as my mother starts passing around the meatloaf, "What happened to the car, Nora? Last I heard, you were still drivin' the El Camino around. That Porsche you drove up in, that yours too? Seems a bit above a cop's pay grade. "<p>

"The El Camino was involved in a shooting, so they're holding it in impound until I figure out what to do," I answer and pass off the mashed potatoes choosing to ignore the last question and the comment that followed.

Terry's eyebrows rise and motions to Nikki. "You get hurt in it?" Pointing towards the white line along Nikki's scalp.

"I was it," she says drolly. My girl hasn't been too impressed with my brother's antics thus far.

Truthfully neither have I. When Nikki and I came out of the restroom and stepped into the living room, Joanie was in front of Terry and Chris had a hold of Pat's arm. I'm not really sure what was said, but neither has said a word to the other since.

"Really?" Terry whistles. "Wow, she let you drive that ridiculous car?"

"My ridiculous what?" I snap.

Terry guffaws, but Patrick, Bobby, Chris and Nikki have the good sense to not say anything.

"Hug, that thing you called a car should have been heaped when you were set up enough to afford a new one," Terry chuckles.

"I'll have you know," I point a finger at him and keep my voice in check because the boys are sitting in the living room, "June Lee was in better damn shape than most cars you could buy brand new."

Terry makes a face and shakes his. Sucking his teeth, he looks between Nikki and I.

"Nikki," my mother stops the words forming in Terry's brain, "I take it you're all right though? Bobby told me about you being in the hospital. I'm sorry about that."

Nikki smiles and waves her off. "Fine. Was just cleared for desk duty actually."

"How nice," my mom smiles. "And you, Chris, we haven't really had a chance to chat. What are you going to do here in New Orleans?"

"Hopefully, once we settle on a place and get it together, open up a recording studio and start finding local talent. I'd like to get back to the studio soon."

"What is it you do?" Joanie asks while spooning some gravy over her potatoes.

"I'm a music producer," he answers.

"Oh, what kind?" she probes.

Terry stopped talking when Chris started answering questions. Instead, he chose to tuck into his food.

"Different things. Rap, hip-hop, R & B, some pop, rock & roll…I listen to a lot of different types of music so I'll work with most any genre."

"Actually, Chris just wrapped up three different projects," Patrick states proudly.

"Oh, really," Nikki smirks. "Who?"

"Uh," Chris blushes a little under the olive skin tone and shrugs, "Uh, Mariah Carey, Garbage and Anna Nalick."

"I know Mariah Carey, but the other two…" Nikki grins. "But that's still pretty impressive."

Chris shrugs, "Mariah's album is due out this year. Hopefully they'll finish up Garbage's and Anna's. They are both pretty great. Uh," he drums his fingers against his forehead thinking. "Uhm, Garbage's drummer, Butch Vig…you guys know Nirvana?" he asks, looking around the room expectantly.

I nod, Nikki does, but Terry looks a blankly at him. At least his wife nods.

"Butch Vig produced Nirvana's breakout album Nevermind. If that helps at all. Anna's more up and coming. Great voice, decent writer. Eric and I were gonna spend more time with her, but things happened with the move quicker than I'd have liked."

"How so?" my mom asks.

"Well, the house sold quicker than we thought. My mom moved to New York to be with her sister. It lined up just right. And really, my job's more about taking the talent that comes into the studio and refining it. Helping the artist make decisions about what they want their work to sound like, feel like."

"Well," my mother says, "It's sounds like you really love what you do."

Chris bobs his head. "Most of the time." He winks at my mom and she smiles.

"So have you decided on where you're going to look for a house?" My mom tries to keep the conversation going as the clatter of silver wear gets a little louder. Terry's fork scrapes across the plate.

I've seen suspects in a box look less tense.

I shoot a look to Patrick. The only sign of his nervous tension is where his left arm disappears under the table. Chris' right is hidden too.

Can't really blame them, Nikki's had a death grip on my thigh since the meatloaf was served.

"Mary, Hug and Nik's realtor, has helped. We went and looked at a few houses in the Garden District that would work," Patrick answers.

"Bit above your pay grade ain't it, sergeant?" Terry sneers.

"I don't think my income's much of your business, Terry." Patrick lets it go and directs the conversation back to mom and Joanie. "We want something that'll be comfortable. Large enough for a few dogs."

"And a few kids, soon." Chris turns an upturned eyebrow to his partner.

Patrick actually blushes, but manages a practiced sigh.

"Really?" My mother's face lights up. "Chris you shouldn't play with an old woman's heart. I would love more grandkids."

"He wanted dogs," Chris hooks a thumb at Pat and rolls his eyes. "We compromised. I get kids and he gets some dogs, but I'm sure he'll be fine."

The news causes my mom to turn a look to me and then to Nikki. I begin shaking my head. "Hey don't get your hopes up ma. We aren't even close to discussing the idea of children."

Her face falls a little, but she relents and says, "Well at least I'll have two sets of grandkids to spoil instead of just the one."

With that, Terry's silverware clatters to his plate. "You know what; I've just about had enough. We can l sit here all day and pretend and make nice about how no one here thinks that what's going on is even remotely right! You can't bring kids in to a morally bankrupt home. Either of you. Raisin' kids in that type of environment…" His jaw clenches and he spits, "damn faggots and dykes raising kids. Dad was right, fuckers should just be put down."

Somewhere between the silverware dropping and the end of Terry's outburst it feels like the air's been sucked out of the room, but it doesn't stop my movements. I'm standing over his chair and he's pushing back, standing toe to toe with me. Terry isn't much taller than Bobby, which is good for me 'cause Bobby and I are nearly eye to eye.

In the background, below the rushing in my ears and my heavy breathing, I hear a few voices calling out. To me or to Terry, I'm not sure which. Right now it doesn't matter. I stand facing off against my brother. Body tense, eyes locked. I was expecting something from him.

Not this.

Not the hate I heard in his voice.

It's Bobby that gets between us. His forearm pushes against my chest and I stumble back into Nikki. "I've had enough of this!" my younger brother barks. "You know, I've had to deal with this the longest out of everyone here. Keeping secrets for Nora, keeping things from mom and you two!" He points between Patrick and Terry. "Well, you know what I've had enough. You're an asshole Terry. Always have been and my guess always will be. You come around when it's convenient or when you can inflict the most damage, well I ain't takin' it anymore! So siddown, shut up and keep your opinion to yourself or I'll shut it for you!"

"You gonna what?" Terry sneers while Joanie pulls on his arm with little affect.

"I. Will. Shut. Your. Mouth. For. You." My brother punctuates the statement with a poke to Terry's chest. "You ain't gonna come here and tear us apart. If you'd get over whatever stupid bullshit dad put in your head you'd see that your family isn't half bad."

Terry's chin pushes up and he taunts, "Why Bobby you like takin' it up the ass too? Figures you fuckin' fruit."

"Enough!" my mom yells and steps between her two sons. I want to go over but Nikki's hand is firmly holding onto my upper arm. Chris has an equally tight grip on Patrick. "Now all of you sit right back down. Terry Joseph I suggest you keep that mouth of yours shut before I let your brothers and sister shut it for you. If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all." Her knuckle digs into his shoulder until she forces him backwards and into his seat.

"Joanie, keep your husband on a short leash. You two may have issues with…" she waves a hand at my side of the table, "but you will respect this house and this family. Your father did enough damage with his opinions. I will have my family together for rest of the time I have left. Do you understand me Patrick, Terry, Bobby and Nora? You will get along. You will love each other and you will respect each other or I will bend each and every one of you over my knee. And no I don't care how old you are. I brought all of you into this world and I can damn sure take all four of you out!"

Nikki tugs on my arm and pulls me back to my seat. The look in her eyes is murderous, but she leans in and whispers, "Let's get through this for your mother. Then we leave."

I nod quickly and look to Patrick; the muscles in his jaw are knotted. I shake my head at him and he sighs. We've got an hour tops before we can leave.

This can't end soon enough.


	13. These Here

**These Here**

"Nik, baby, it's time to wake up," Nora coos, wrestling me from my slumber. At least she tries.

I roll away from her hands gently shaking me. I don't feel up to getting up, moving or doing anything remotely productive today. I had my fill of obligatory torture last night at Nora's mothers.

"Nope, nuh-huh, Nikki, come on," Nora whines.

Burying my face in her pillow, I smile.

"Nik, come on, I don't wanna be late. Who knew Benny was a stickler for punctuality?" I feel Nora crawl over the bed and snuggle into my waist. I sigh, loving the feel of her pressed against me. I do so love when she's the big spoon. Her nose buries itself in my hair as she finds my hand and laces our fingers together.

"Hmm," I hum, "this makes me less than cooperative, detective." I wiggle my hips for emphasis.

Truthfully, since Nora and I got split up, work hasn't been nearly as appealing. We're a little slow, cold case reviews, some reporting, we had court a few days last week and Dominic's a good partner. The guy's reliable, not the dullest tool in the shed and he does pull his own weight.

He's just…

He's not Nora.

I didn't think when we started this that not being around her as much would bother me. I should have known considering what with our last and only break-up, but we weren't nearly as stable as we are now. We didn't communicate like we do now and we weren't as settled.

Yet, given the strength and stability of our personal life, I miss her too much during the day.

It's rather pathetic and more than a scooch maddening.

I've come to rely on Nora's ability to make looking at what we do daily bearable. She makes me better for it instead of in spite of all the death, violence and blood.

Dom also doesn't think like Nora. He thinks of things in microscopic ways instead of seeing the big picture. Nora sees the big picture and works backwards. She uses this quirky form of deductive logic that, from all the cops I've worked with, is counterintuitive. We're trained and taught to use inductive reasoning.

But like most things Nora does, she does it differently. And it really works.

Sighing, I mumble against the pillow, "We can call off." I bring our hands up and kiss her knuckles.

"Nope, we can't," she offers against my neck. "Now come on, go get in the shower. We have forty minutes to get to the station."

My mouth turns down, but she's right.

As I'm about to untangle myself from her arms, my phone lights up and starts vibrating. Nora reaches behind her and says, "It's Dom."

I reach for the phone she's handing me and answer, "Beaumont."

"It's Dom. Dan called me and wanted to relay a message," he says with little enthusiasm.

"Okay?" I ask sitting up and swinging my legs off the mattress and on to the floor. I feel Nora roll away and off the bed. Looking over my shoulder, I see that she's already dressed and ready, but she's gathering clothes.

"Just said to let you know that everything's set." I can almost hear the shrug of his shoulders. "Do I really want to ask what that's all about?"

I shake my head and smile. "Nope, but thanks. I'll see you at the station."

"Oh, also Dickson from traffic called said that he found the file we've been looking for. We can start up on that cold case that looks promising."

Wait, what…

Oh, right. The carjacking gone bad from last spring.

"He needs us to pick it up this morning and I need to take Junior to school this morning. You think you can swing by on your way in?" he asks.

Screwing my mouth to the side I look at the clock and realize that there's not time for the shower that I was looking forward to. I stand throwing on the slacks Nora set on the bed next to me. "Yep. I'll see you in about forty minutes."

"Sounds good." He disconnects and I toss the phone on the bed to strip off my tank top and put my bra on. I grab the pale green blouse Nora set out for me and slip that on, sit back down reaching for a pair of socks and the shoes Nora also placed by the bed. Pulling up the zipper on my boot, I see my phone light up again.

Oh for Pete's sake.

"Beaumont," I answer.

"Nikki?" Lee's voice rings in my ear.

"Oh," I purr, "you I actually want to hear from." I smile.

"Yes, well, considering…but I was just calling to let you know that everything is green. My guy said that it'll be there this evening. Six p.m. sharp as requested with everything you requested," Lee informs causing my smile to grow a bit wider.

"Next time I see you, Mr. Sherman, you won't have to buy a single drink for yourself." His laugh has a sinister quality to it and I think I may be in trouble next time we get together.

Standing, I go to the dresser to attach my gun and badge to my hips. "I'm gonna hold you to that, but really Nikki, it was a lot of fun and something I was more than happy to do." I hear some papers shuffle around and a school bell ring. "I should be thanking you for letting me help. Look, the kids are about to start pouring in. I need to go, but call me and tell me how it goes?"

"Roger that," I chirp and end the call. I attach the phone to my belt and call out for Nora.

She rounds the corner with the phone pressed to her ear. "Yeah, I was wondering about you. Everything okay?"

I cock my head to the side and point to the phone. She pulls it away from her mouth and says quietly, "Casey."

Ah.

"Right, no, I was just worried and then I didn't hear…yeah. When?" She tucks her right hand under her left arm and nods. "Yeah, yeah probably. I'll check with Nik and let you know a little later? Good. All right Casey, talk to you in a bit."

She ends the call and slips the phone into its holster on her belt.

"Everything okay?" I ask, moving towards the bathroom to comb my hair and brush my teeth.

"For the most part. She had to go to Chicago. A friend of hers passed away. What's going on?" Nora asks as she follows me to the bathroom.

I take a good hard look in the mirror and regret not having time to take a shower. My hair looks like rats nested in it last night. I grab the brush next to the sink and run it through a few times, then my fingers. I sigh and realize that's as good as it's going to look today and move on. "Oh, that's too bad. She okay?"

"Yeah," Nora answers leaning against her side of the sink. "Now answer my question."

I hold my finger up as I begin brushing my teeth. I spit and rinse my mouth. She gives an exaggerated cough as I right myself and wipe my mouth with a hand towel. The truth isn't even close to an option. "We need to swing by the Second's station house and pick up some files from a detective," I go for another truth instead.

"All right. We should get a move on. Traffic's gonna be a bear," she says pushing off the sink and heading towards the stairs.

I follow her down and into the kitchen. Chris and Patrick are sitting at the island looking over paperwork. I'm excited for them. They have some really nice listings in front of them. Maybe one day, sooner rather than later, I can convince Nora to purchase a home over that way. Maybe something close to daddy.

"Morning gentleman," I offer and grab Bruce's keys and toss them to Nora.

"Busy day?" Chris asks.

"Errand and then the station for the day," Nora answers and asks me, "You ready?"

I nod and give the boys a wave before heading out the door hoping that everything goes as planned on this fine Monday morning.

* * *

><p>"Hey," Benny says standing over Dom's and mine's work station, "Didja two hear the news?" I arc an eyebrow in question and Dom shakes his head. A full, thousand watt grin breaks out on Benny's face at our reply. "Nor's got herself an admirer." He hooks a finger behind him to their own work station and says, "She's been goin' ape shit. Finding little things here and there. Some wrapped, some not." His eyebrows dance up and down as he gives a deep throated laugh.<p>

I feel my brow furrow and can't stop myself from asking, "What?"

"I know that's what I said, but whoever it is, left her a set of new cuffs, new coffee mug, some doggie treats for her mutt, edible panties – Tuti Fruit flavored and some massage oil." He shakes his head and then lowers down so that he can speak a little quieter, "Then to top it all off, he left her a mini Kama Sutra and some body butter with a note that made her blush from neck to forehead. I really want to know what that note said, but the look was priceless!"

"Any idea who?" Dom asks leaning towards his part…his old partner.

Benny shakes his head. "Nora's not happy about it, that much is for sure. You know who it could be Nik?"

I shake my head searching for Nora.

Benny must pick up on it because he tells me, "She went to the bathroom. Told me to come over here and see if you two wanted to grab some lunch. You two game?"

"Sure," Dom and I say at the same time while I follow up with, "Where we going?"

Benny shrugs, "I'm not picky. Dom here has the stomach of a damn princess though. He looks at hot sauce and gets the runs."

"Ha, ha, jack ass. Let's let Nora pick today. It seems like someone wanted to treat her right, may as well continue," Dom shrugs and looks at me.

"Yeah," I say and push back from my desk as I see Nora come back through the bull pen doors. I quirk an eyebrow at her and she scowls. My eyes track her across the floor; she swings by her desk, grabs something from the top drawer and then stalks this way.

Dom digs in as soon as she's in earshot, "So who's the lucky fella, Delaney?"

Her left eyebrow twitches at the inquiry as her frown deepens. I watch the subtle play of muscles in arms as her fingers drum across her upper thigh. Her eyes narrow at me and she snips, "You know anything about this?"

I shake my head. "Edible underwear?" I ask and she rolls her eyes.

"You had to say something?" she barks at Benny and smacks his upper arm.

Shying away from the assault, Benny laughs and gets behind Dom. "Look, don't get all bent outta shape 'cause some guy wants to wine and dine you. Personally, if it were me, I'd go put on the edible underwear and wait for Mr. Right to reveal himself." He wiggles his eyebrows at Nora.

I bite my lip. I have to. The words, "No one will be revealing anything to Nora Delaney but me," are swallowed up and in their place I shoot a glare in his direction. Coming off jealous right now would show fantastic taste in poor judgment.

Nora levels a glare at the two men and reaches for her hip.

Dom holds up his hands in surrender. Benny just stands behind his old partner and stammers, "Now, now Nora, l…l…look I'm just sayin', before you get all trigger happy, that you're easy on the eyes…"

Nora growls as I wrap my arms around my waist to prevent me from reaching out to her.

"Well," Benny tries to assuage, "It's true you're really easy on the eyes, and it's no wonder…uh, a guy would be lucky to, uh," he licks his lips. His eyes skirt to me and he asks, "Am I helping at all? Can you help me at all?"

I shake my head. Like I'm going to help him dig himself out of the hole he's in.

"What I'm saying Nora…is don't shoot me and sure, sure the sex gifts are funny and razzing you for it is all well and good, but…" He holds a finger up and mumbles, "You'd probably make a guy's day, hell his year, if you uh, actually used it with him."

You know if that wasn't directed at my girlfriend, I'd think it was kind of sweet.

Right now, I'm not feeling too kind.

But Nora seems to soften just a little, "I don't wanna hear another word."

Dom just nods; he's got that look I've seen Ron get from time to time when Brandy's ready to kill. Kind of like a gazelle and a lion standing off and the gazelle knows it's going to die, but looks hopeful regardless. Dom looks like he's gonna be lunch.

"Just, uh one last question?" Benny asks bravely.

"One," I say trying to help both of them out and move this along. I'd rather end this conversation sooner rather than later.

Nora swivels a glare in my direction before going back to shooting daggers at Benny.

"Well, I was just wondering, if, uh, well, if I had a sexy butt chin like you, would you put that body butter on me and lick it off?"

I barely have time to stop Nora from launching herself across the desk and wrapping her hands around Benny's neck. Dominic is no help trying to contain my lover; he just fell back into his seat laughing his ass off.

I may just kill Benny myself, but I have to agree, Nora's chin is quite scrumptious.

* * *

><p>"Sugga," I gently remind her, "if you don't wipe that scowl off your face, it's going to freeze that way."<p>

She takes her eyes off the road and looks in the rearview mirror. No doubt glaring at the box she put her presents in that rests on the back seat. The rest of today was full of her finding small gifts, trinkets or the occasional racy gift left behind or tucked away the rest of the day.

The midnight calla lilies that were delivered, sit on the floor between my feet.

"You're not upset?" she asks and signals for a right turn two blocks from home.

I shrug. "I didn't like Benny readily agreeing that you are quite nice to gaze upon, but he's right…" I reach for her hand and lace our fingers together. Much like I did this morning, I kiss the knuckles on her free hand. Mumbling against her hand, I say honestly, "Anyone should consider themselves the luckiest person alive to get to know you in such an intimate way."

I look at her out of the corner of my eye and smile at the flush her cheeks take.

"Then why aren't you getting left stuff. I'm not sure if you've looked in the mirror properly if you think I compare to you," she says sweetly.

I shake my head. Getting into an argument on who's more attractive is a waste of my time. I'm right. She's wrong. That's the end of it. Instead, I shrug. "You're biased, but sweet for saying it, Nora. I mean it though. I'm lucky. We've been through…you know sometimes I find it hard to believe we're together still."

"You didn't think…" she trails off, worrying her lower lip.

"I hoped, dreamed even, but it's turned out better than I expected," I answer her as we turn down our street. "What you've done, for me, for us…" I stop talking as we pull up behind her. Lee said that it would be here. I owe that man.

"Thank you," I say as I untangle our hands and lay a long box in her upturned palm. The car goes into park and she pulls her hand away to shut the engine off staring straight ahead of what sits in front of Bruce. "Now open this first," I direct her.

She pulls the lid off the Tiffany & Co. box to stare at the necklace, a Paloma Piccaso infinity heart pendant. Not necessarily like the diamond Today, Tomorrow & Forever pendant she got me in the hospital, but something just as pretty. Hopefully she'll love it like I love mine. The necklace hasn't come off since she put it on me.

Her second present sits in front of us. The bow on the car is the exact shade of her eyes.

I fish in my pants pocket for the key and raise it up to offer it to her.

"Nikki?" she questions, blinking between me and the car while taking the key and laying it in her lap. Gently, I take the pendant and slip it around her neck, tossing the empty box on the dashboard.

I take the key in her lap and scramble out of the passenger side, around the front end of Bruce and open her door for her. Taking her hand, I pull her from the Porsche after she grabs Bruce's keys from the ignition.

Her eyes haven't left the new car so I take my finger and tug at her chin so that she's facing me. "We skipped the whole Valentine's Day thing, with me being in the hospital and all, but…I had to do something."

I kiss her lips gently and then pull away to tug her towards the car.

"Mine?" she asks numbly.

"All yours," I answer her.

I watch as she reaches out and runs a hand over the shiny black hood. Lee and his friends did an amazing job.

"How?" she asks, letting her hands trail over the automobile.

"Well, I knew June Lee wasn't…so, I called the only other person I know who has a thing for muscle cars. Lee helped me pick her out and sent her to the right people to get her customized the way I wanted for you. I know it's not an El Camino, but Lee assured me this was more than a suitable vehicle for you."

"Nikki," she spins to me with a smile pulling at her lips, "It's a nineteen-seventy-one Plymouth GTX…"

"It's a Hemi," I say, not entirely sure what it means, but Lee was adamant that it was crucial for the car.

"Okay," she says a little dazed, "it's a nineteen-seventy-one Plymouth GTX Hemi. It's too much."

I shake my head and pull her to me, crushing our hips together and wrapping my arms behind her neck. I break away and force her green eyes to meet my brown. "Never. If you'd let me, I'd probably spoil you rotten, but until you let me, I needed to do this. You deserve it, Nora Marie." I close the small gap between our lips and relish the feel of hers against mine. I don't need to deepen it for her to get what I'm trying to say. I pull back, peck her nose and whisper, "Now are you gonna get in and take her for a drive?"

She nods and grins. I unlock the driver's door and usher inside. Making sure that she's completely situated, I shut the door, snatch the bow off the top of the roof and slip into the passenger's door. I slide across the bench leather seat and straddle the middle console to explain before she turns the engine over, "There are some serious after market modifications. Call Lee for the mechanics on it, but I had them install a nice sound system. The interior is all leather and the dashboard is had been reconditioned and practically new…or so I've been assured. I guess Lee made them do something with serial numbers…original something or other…" I run my left hand down her thigh and let it rest on top of her knee. "Also, check under the seat."

She eyes me as she bends down and feels around. Her eyes grow a little large as she pulls up the wrapped package.

I grin, trying not to look too smug or pleased with myself. "Go on," I urge her and help remove the bow and wrapping. She runs her hand over the plain white box before lifting the lid.

The black leather harness gleams in the light of the setting sun. Leaning in a bit more, I nip her ear lobe and whisper, "Just be thankful I didn't leave that in your desk drawer as well."


	14. Are My Desires

**Are My Desires**

An involuntary wince pinches my face as I flush the toilet. Stilling my movements, I cock my head to the side trying to hear if I woke Nora.

The only think I manage to pick up is Reba scratching in her litter box.

Satisfied, I move to the sink and wash my hands. Another wince appears as I look in the mirror. Despite the sublimely early hour, my hair doesn't look too bad. Although it may be time for a touch up at the salon, a few persistent silver roots stand out against the dark brown of my hair.

I turn the water off and use the hand towel next to the sink to dry my hands then poke at the scar on my scalp. The graze's scab came off last week, leading to a surprisingly straight, white line that is boarded by small white dots where the stitches were. All in, considering the mess I got myself into, I got off pretty light. A few scars and a patch of missing hair that is taking it's time to grow back. Admittedly, the missing hair is a sticking point; I still can't help but feel that…

I swallow and meet my own gaze this time.

No, I know, that Nora suffered far more for my rash decisions than I did. Even if I'd have died, she would have borne the brunt of my actions.

I don't know how I'm going to make it up to her.

I don't think I can.

Sighing, my reflection purses her lips and offers me a scowl.

Unsatisfied, but wanting to get back to Nora, I grab her new favorite toy, pad in to the bedroom and slip it on. The straps are snug as I lock her favorite dildo into position.

Mister is lying on his bed next to the closet, but pokes his head up when I walk into the room. He gives me this look that I can only interpret to mean that I look ridiculous, but then he thumps his tail before laying his head back down. Really, you can't help but feel a little silly in this thing, but…

She loves it. I love using it.

I'll take looking a little foolish for the gift it provides in helping enhance my ability to satisfy Nora this way.

I'm also thankful that we left her bedside lamp on. I stand at the foot of the bed and take a moment to just admire her sleeping. The soft maroon sheets cover her to just above the small of her back. Her head is turned towards my side of the bed, her right hand reaching out just so, ending to about right where I normally would be sleeping.

Her hair hides her beautiful face from me, but I plan to remedy that soon enough. Reaching out, I gather a handful of the sheets in my right hand and give them a gentle tug. They slip down and reveal the rest of her. Slowly and ever so softly, I raise a knee to rest on the bed and lean forward.

My nose barely grazes the flesh of her toned left calf allowing me to inhale the scent that is pure Nora Delaney. My lips brush against warm skin and work their way north. Her muscles twitch underneath my touch, underneath the kisses that I leave along her leg.

Her right leg lifts and begins to rub against any part of my body it can touch. The involuntary action causes me to smile. My girl's awake. I reach the swell of her left cheek and rub the side of my face along its curve.

"Hmm," Nora mumbles above me.

"Shhhh," I whisper and shift my position so that I'm between her legs sitting on my calves, running my hands over the swell of her hips and in to move up her back. I lean forward to press my hips against her body and lean down. Kissing her shoulder, I move her hair and kiss my way up the back of her neck.

She presses up and moans, "You're too happy to see me this morning."

I can't prevent the chuckle that bubbles up and ruffles her hair. "I am," I mumble. Her hips give another little wiggle and she chuckles burying her face in her pillow.

My breasts press in to her back and I rest my weight along her length. I feel her try to shift so I prop myself on my hands. She turns around and wraps her legs around my waist. Her center presses along the shaft, which press against my clit.

She's evil.

"Morning," she purrs as she reaches up to brush my hair away from my face.

I grin and lean down, capturing her lips. Seeking more contact I open my mouth letting her follow my lead. Her tongue slides against mine, along my bottom lip and then along the top of my bottom teeth. Her hips rock, my eyes cross behind closed lids and I match pace with her.

Nora pulls away and groans, "Need you."

"You can't be near wet enough, sugga," I mumble against her lips, wanting to resume the slow exploration of her mouth.

She seems to have other ideas as she shakes her head and pulls my left hand off the mattress. Guiding it between our bodies, she stills her hips and presses my hand between her legs. I feel the moisture run hot and slick against my fingers.

She may be more ready than I thought.

My middle finger reaches out, slips inside of her before I pull it back to bring up to my lips. She watches as I suck it into my mouth reveling in pure Nora. "Hmmm, in deed you are," I lean down and purr.

I feel her grab hold of the head of the strap-on and guide it towards her entrance. I reach out, smooth her hair away from her face and tuck it behind her ear. Satisfied that I'll be able to see her face, I plant both hands on either side of her head to give me a little more stability.

Dark green eyes lock with mine and she breathes, "I love you, Nikki."

I smile and push forward, sink into her and watch my phone light up and vibrate on top of my night stand.

Oh, for hell's sake!

Nora flops back on to the bed and hisses, "Mother fucker," before reaching for it and looking at the display. "It's your partner," she snips.

Well if that just doesn't kill the mood. Pulling out of her, I rest against her lower half; take the phone and answer, "Beaumont."

"Got called in. Need you at the cross street's Perdido and Ferret. Some office building. Walker something or other," he says, "I'd have more, but sorry, I left the notes in the living room. I was just getting ready when the call came through dispatch."

I look down at Nora and resist the urge to kiss away the frown until the name Walker registers.

"Nikki?" Dom asks.

"Yeah, sorry. You have anything on the vic?" I ask and begin to worry my lower lip.

"Don't have much on the vic. Just that a body was discovered about an hour ago at Walker Investments, I think that's the name of the place." he fills in.

Shit.

I bite my lower lip. I really hope I'm wrong.

"I'm getting ready now. Look, you need to pick up Benny. I'll grab Nora and meet you at the scene," I direct him.

"What? Why?" Dom asks.

"'Cause I know the owner of Walker Investments personally. We may not be able to take the case. We'll meet you two over there. I need to finish getting ready and grab Nora. See you in twenty." I don't give him time to question anything else as I end the call and try to figure out a way to tell Nora. I mean I'm not even sure yet. I want to be wrong, but…

And it's not like I've intentionally kept this from her. She's just never really been that into the charity work that I do.

"You're meeting Benny at a scene. I may need you two there in case I can't work the case," I look down at her and toss my phone next to her head.

"Why?" she asks sitting up.

"Because there was a body discovered at a friend's office building," I answer her and begin to untangle from her. We need to get a move on.

"Is it…"

"I don't know." I climb off the bed and unbuckle the harness, letting it drop to the floor before picking it up and carrying it to the bathroom. I call after her, "Now come on. We have twenty minutes to make it over by Poydras and Ferret. Dispatch gave Dom bad directions."

* * *

><p>"I love her," Nora declares as she kills the engine on her new car. I watch as she affectionately pats the dashboard and smiles at me.<p>

I return her grin and say, "I'm sorry about…"

"Duty calls, but you owe me," she lets me off for this morning's interruption.

"I know you have this whole, talking-bonding thing you do with your cars, sugga, but you put a name to this bad boy yet?" I ask teasingly. We went for a drive last night and I quit looking at the speedometer once it crested above a hundred-ten miles an hour. Sometimes it's better to not know.

Nora shrugs. "We've been talking. She's not a girly car…"

"'Cause June Lee was?" I tease.

"No, but, that's what she told me her name was. Now, this girl here, we were talking on our drive last night, her name's Francis. She likes Frankie for short." Nora winks at me and I shake my head.

We're pulled out of our little world by a rap against the window. Benny's face is pressed against the glass of my window. He's all grins and wiggling eyebrows.

I look at Nora and hook a finger in the man's direction, "We ready for this?"

Nora shrugs. "No, probably not. Let's go."

I give a nod and open the door shoving Benny out of the way.

"Hot damn, Delaney!" Benny wolf whistles. "This is like…fuck. You gotta let me take her for a spin."

Nora's eyebrows hike up and she shakes her head. "Pull your head out of your ass, Benny, the only one that can drive her is me."

His face falls and he starts this pout.

I clap a hand on his shoulder and steer him away from Frankie and a scowling, protective Nora. "Benny, don't. Give it up."

"It's about damn time!" Dom yells from the doorway causing a few passer-bys and uniforms to shoot him a look. "And nice Delaney. I knew I liked you." He smiles at my Nora and wags a finger in her direction.

Not wanting to prolong this anymore or listen to the posturing both males are doing, I say, "We have an I.D. on the vic?"

Dom nods. "Logan Walker was found by the janitorial staff. Come on up."

Just…fuck.

"Wait," I say holding a hand up and motion for the three other detectives to step off to the side to talk a bit more privately. As they gather around me, I start to speak quietly, "I know the victim. Logan Walker sits on the board of my…" I run a hand through my hair and shoot a look to Nora, hoping she'll understand, "…Logan Walker sits on the board of my organization."

"Your what?" three equally surprised voices hiss at me.

"Nora," I direct my attention to her as she is the most important, "Remember when I told you that my dad was stepping down as president of the Tilton Endowment Program?" Nora nods and I carry on, "Well, I stepped in as the rightful chairperson. It was my mother's. I took the reins in Oh-three when my dad couldn't juggle it anymore. Logan was my right hand in the transition as well as overseeing the program's day to day functions."

I bite my lower lip and will her to get the implied. When the transition happened, I was barely home on the week nights. If she's smart she'll remember.

"Oh," she finally says. "Right, uhm," she licks her lips and shrugs.

"So what?" Benny and Dom both ask.

"I can't work this case. It's too personal. I haven't even processed the fact that a good friend is dead four stories above us. Nora, you and Benny are going to have take the lead," I reply.

"No way is Dan gonna let four of his six D's work a single homicide," Benny says, stuffing his hands in his slacks' pockets.

I shake my head. He's really going to not have a choice. "Look, we don't have much of an option. His wife knows what my day job is. She's going to want me involved. I think you two take lead, Dom and I will do next of kin notification and I'll handle press, if there is any until Dan directs otherwise."

"Georgia's gonna be pissed," Dom whistles and grins.

"Yeah, she hates when Dan favors you for the affluent victims," Benny agrees.

Nora rolls her eyes.

"I don't care," I snip. I think Georgia is a dear, but she wants to engage me in these pissing contests on occasion that just have a tendency to irritate the living hell out of me. "We have a dead body and grieving family to consider. It is far more prudent that I handle that aspect of the investigation considering. I've known Logan since I was in grade school."

"So Walker, he any relation to the Madam?" Benny asks as we turn towards the office building.

"Yes," I say and slip through the door being help open by Dom. "Before we get into that, let's work the scene. We can meet up later and go over victimology, ladies."

Both men protest uniformly, "Who you callin' a lady, woman?"

This causes Nora to snicker and I just shake my head. Dom steps forward and tries to direct us, but I stop his actions. "I know exactly where his office is."

"Right," he says, "sorry."

I shake it off and try to prepare myself for this. Logan is – was – a good man. He did a lot of good and he was smart about how the program's money was spent. Tia, his wife, is going to be devastated. They were high school sweethearts. Went to Tulane together, graduated together.

* * *

><p>A few techs mill along the office's hallway as we step off the elevator. I lead my co-workers and Nora back towards Logan's office. The chatter quiets down as we approach the door.<p>

There are too many things happening. My mind's immediately on the program and what we're going to have to do to have it continue to run in his absence, then there's the idea that he was most likely, without having seen the scene just yet, murdered.

Logan Walker just doesn't have those types of enemies.

Period.

Everything he's done has been above reproach and for this to happen…

It doesn't make sense.

What am I going to tell to Tia?

How am I going to tell Tia?

I feel Nora brush against me, her hand lingers on my right hip as we stop at Logan's office doors and snap some gloves on. I hear Charlie directing two techs inside.

I gather strength from the all too brief contact and move forward. This is what we do and I need to focus.

I always appreciated Walker's style. Always classy, understated…generally, there was usually one thing on him or in his home that held a certain flair, a levity in him that just couldn't be contained. For instance as I pass the threshold into his office I can't help but appreciate the soft reds and browns, it's comfortable here. Over stuffed leather couch and two sitting chairs. The desk is a dark cherry oak, the flair is found on his desk pad, understated and some would find the leather print of Giacomo Balla's Street Light off, but it was very much Logan. The left wall is mostly built in bookshelves and a wet bar in its center.

The back of the office is windows, the shades are drawn I note. The right wall is a set of five fifty-two inch flat panel screens. Those are hooked up to the stock market, domestic and international. A constant stream of data and information is displayed on all five. I note the markets that are up currently in the center, Euro Stoxx, FTSE 1000, CAC 40, DAX, IBEX 35, FTSE MIB, AEX-Index, Stockholm and Swiss Markets. He was looking at the European, African and Mid East exchanges…

He usually doesn't trade internationally.

At least not that I knew of.

My lips purse as I head towards the screens, Charlie, Nora, the boys and Logan. Careful of where I step, I stand over the body. Logan lies on his stomach, his head turned to the left, one arm stretched and pinned underneath him. His left arm lies against his side. Blood soaks his left flank. It's spread up his shirt and sleeve, down his shirt and pools around his body.

Sometimes a little bit of blood can look like a lot.

This time, it's just a lot of blood.

"Good morning, detectives," Charlie says in that happy-go-lucky way of his. "What warrants the four of ya'll comin' down?"

"Nik and Dom got called in, but our Ms. Beaumont knows the vic, so we tagged along," Nora answers Charlie.

I ignore the rest of the exchange and focus on Logan. I drop to my haunches and examine him. The attack was to his left side, there're no defensive wounds, nothing to indicate that he put up any type of struggle. That tells me a lot. He knew his killer. It was unexpected and swift.

"Charlie, I'd like to see the wound can we cut away the shirt?" I ask.

"Uh, yeah, I've done pretty much what I needed to. I was waitin' on ya'll to get here before I moved the bod…" he trails off and looks down at me. "Uh, you know him real well?"

"Logan Walker is an old friend and business associate. I was part of his wedding party," I answer numbly.

"Oh, I'm sorry Nikki," the doctor says sincerely. "I can clear the room if you want a minute?"

I look around at the last lingering techs and nod. "Why don't you do that? Dom, Benny, and Nora, you three can stay. Start poking around a little?" I ask the three other detectives.

They all nod and Charlie takes action. "All right folks, let's clear out a minute and give the detectives a little bit of space." He makes some shooing motions with his hands. The techs get the idea and file out of the room. Once they're gone, Charlie produces a pair of medic-scissors and begins to cut away the shirt Logan wears. Nora and Benny help him remove it; he rolls it up and places it in an evidence bag.

We maneuver the body so we can all get a good look at the injury. All of them are concentrated in an area approximately five inches above his waist line. I'm counting six stab marks, with a medium size blade. Some of the cuts overlap, so the total count may be higher.

Benny and Dom start whispering quietly as Nora takes her place across from me. Her posture and position mirror my own. Her left eyebrow raises and I nod. She's worried about me.

I'm fine. I think. I try to convey this with a look. Not that I don't like Dom and Benny, but…

I'm a cop; there are certain expectations that need to be maintained. I don't need this damaging the work I've done. It's taken me years to make my coworkers get passed the idea that I'm not just a stuck-up socialite slumming it or trying to piss daddy off with mixing with the commoners.

Not like my daddy's really like that, but there's a perception about the NOLA elite, unfortunately most of it's true.

I go back to staring at the wounds. The position, the type…if we weren't in an office…this almost looks like a prison style shanking. My jaw muscles flex.

Just what the hell did you get yourself into Logan?

I shake it off and ask, "You guys find anything?"

"Nope," Dom answer from behind me.

"Nadda," Benny answers as well. I look over my shoulder and see him sitting at Logan's desk rifling through the desk drawers.

"All right, I'd like to do next of kin notification…"

"Dom and I want Nora to go with you," Benny interrupts me. "We can hang, clear the scene and head to the station to fill in Dan."

"He won't like me going with her," Nora reminds us all.

"Dan can suck my…" Benny starts, but trails off, "Look, we all know that Nik gettin' shot up was hard. I can see why he'd want you two to get some distance, but right now, I'd be way more comfortable working this with Dom. We want to make sure all our bases are covered." He smiles at Nora and offers a wink. "Not to say you ain't stellar or eye candy for my work day Delaney, but it's all our asses on the line and we all know that I do my best work when I can give Dom shit."

"Fuck you, Armstrong," Dom snips playfully from his spot by the bookshelf.

"Later, sweetums, let's let the girls go do their thing." Benny chuckles as Dom flushes. "Why don't you two get a move on? Give me or Dom a buzz when you're done and we'll meet up."

I nod and rise. Nora follows me and we let Charlie back into the scene. I stop him as we pass and ask, "How long for the post?"

"A day, maybe two at the earliest," he answers.

I place a hand on his arm and ask, "You'd be a real sweetheart if you could speed things up. He was a friend Charlie, I want this over quickly."

He offers me a curt nod and, "Why don't ya'll call later today, can't make any promises, but I'll see what we can do."

"Thank you," I say and squeeze his arm.


	15. Give Them Up

**Give Them Up**

Nora steers the car where I direct her, right behind Tia's E55 AMG. She puts the car in park, but doesn't kill the engine. Instead she turns to me, pulling her right knee on to the seat between us and rests her right arm along the back of the seat.

She has that look, furrowed brow, slightly turned down mouth, tight jaw. This can't be good.

"I'm callin' a time out before we get in there," she states.

I mirror her position and lay my left arm over hers, taking hold of her upper arm to caress. We rarely do this, but after a particularly nasty case about two years back, we had to come up with a way to interact on a personal level and shelve the case, if only to check in with each other as lovers and not as work partners.

Annie, bless her heart, gave us a technique her and Jill used in therapy. So far, it's been useful, even if we don't use it that often.

I nod and motion for her to speak.

"First, are you okay?" she asks me as her other hand reaches out to lie over my knee.

"Not really, but…" I worry my lower lip trying to explain. "It's our job, ya know. I can't just walk away from the case. I need to follow this through. Besides, coming from me, Tia may take it a bit better."

Nora nods. "How long have you known them?"

"Logan, a while, God, since grade school. Tia, we meant in high school. They've been together since then." I run a hand through my hair and shrug, a wan smile overcoming me. "They were…I was really nervous about coming out…Logan and Tia were the first people I actually told, introduced them to Erica."

"Shocked?" Nora smiles.

"Hmm, I don't know, they just sort of…they were sweet about all of it."

She rests against the driver's door and nods. "I've never met them because…?"

I shrug again. "They're part of my life that you've never showed much interest in, Nora. We're going to need to talk about that too. I just…Logan's the last of the Walker clan…"

"New Orleans's Madam C.J. Walker, the first black female millionaire?" Nora presses.

"Yeah, he took the reins of the family fortune when he was twenty-one…"

"So, I don't get it, how is he involved with…" I cut Nora's question off with an upturned hand.

Licking my lips, I draw in a breath and explain, "He sat on the board of the Tilton Endowment Program, which is part and parcel of the Tilton Auxiliary League, for about three years before I took it over. Daddy brought him in to help oversee the day to day functions. I kept him for those same reasons."

"Nik, I know that…just what exactly is this program and why did you have to…?"

My finger's drum off my right thigh. In the spirit of full disclosure, if they need to dig into any of his projects, the Tilton and Beaumont name will be all over most of it. If they look at his clients, which they – we – will then they're going to get a peek at mine and Nora's financials, which we're going to have to come up with a story for – if need be. "I'm going to need two things from you, your patience and for you not to be angry," I hold a hand up to still the words on the tip of her tongue, "I don't think you will, well, I don't know for sure, sugga, but can you give me that right now?"

My lover's bright green eyes search me, looking for something, after a minute on their quest Nora nods.

"My mother's maiden name is Tilton. Do you know anything about them?" I ask, hoping that she'll give me a little something to work with.

Nora shrugs, "Uhm, I know that there's the library and hall over at Tulane. Both are named after Frederick Tilton…some railroad guy back in the eighteen hundreds. Why?"

Good. That gives me a little. So she'll understand. "Nora, that's my family...my mother's side of the family at least. Coming from that, there are obligations and stipulations to inheriting the family accounts, one of those is making sure the Tilton league and program will always be run by someone from our family. My daddy took over the responsibilities because he married into it and there wasn't anyone else until I came of age and was ready."

My Nora's brow furrows and I can practically see the gears whirring in her head.

I press on, "So, there are investments that Logan's made, I've needed him to help me with the league and the program as well to make sure that our money and our family is taken care of."

"Wait," Nora stops me and scratches her head. "What do you mean 'our money'? Look, I know I've never asked too many questions, I know I've kinda stayed out of that part of your life, but…"

I roll my eyes and bite my tongue. I can't stop the attitude from bubbling forth though, "Why do you think that our lives are so separate? Why do you act like that?"

"That's not…Nik, don't…"

"What? Don't act like you not taking an active interest in my life isn't important to me? Considering that we're practically married…"

"Hey," Nora barks, "now I didn't...and don't…"

"No, Nora, you didn't. You don't. Period." I clench my jaw and take a deep breath, choosing my next words carefully, "You and I, Nora, we're on the same page about so many things. But this is one that you won't or can't…I'm not looking for a ring on my finger. I'm not looking for an announcement in the Picayune. I don't want that. I want you." I poke her shoulder and punctuate my statement, "Forever."

Her cheeks flush and she stammers, "I…Nikki, I'm not saying, I just..."

"Nora Marie, I love you. Married or not. That's never really interested me much. What does is making sure that the woman I love, the family that I have, are taken care of. What that means to me is making sure you have access to everything I have if something were to happen to me."

She grabs for my hand that was fidgeting with my pant leg. "I didn't mean for that…I just don't think…"

"You don't think about what could happen," I tell her softly.

She shakes her head. "I don't. I just…I've just not given it much thought…don't want to give it that much thought."

"Well, I do, and I don't mind that you haven't, but one day, sugga, you're going to see how much you mean to me." I shake my head and bite back the tears. Reaching out with my left hand I cup her chin. "I think it's one of the things I love about you the most, or perhaps it's the most frustrating, you love unconditionally without thought of how the other person feels. It doesn't seem to matter much to you. So," I swallow the lump in my throat and push back the tears, "So, you never see how much you actually mean to people. How much people adore you."

Her cheeks flush and she studies her lap. I pull her chin up to make sure she looks at me. "I know we've never talked marriage, we can't," I shrug, "But you have to know that what's mine is yours. I've made sure that you'll be taken care of if…"

"I don't need taken care o…"

"You don't," I interrupt her quickly, "But you let me sometimes. I love it. I love knowing that I can. You are just going to have to accept that." I send her the only smile in my arsenal that gets her to cave every single time. "So," I say after I'm sure she's melted a little more, "Is that you're going to continue to hand over your tax documents so I can get them prepared and tonight, I'll pull out all the paperwork so you know how much is in our accounts. All of them. So that if they dig into Logan's clients and your name pops up it won't be a surprise."

"What do you mean all of them?" she wonders pulling my hand away from her chin.

"Well, sugga, let's just say you've seen only three of the accounts that are linked directly to me."

Her eyebrow arcs in response and I smile some more. "For now, I need you to be my colleague, so time out's over." I lean over and peck her cheek. "Love you, Delaney," I manage before sliding out of the passenger door.

"Hey," Nora calls out from inside the car still.

I poke my head back in and she shoots me a lopsided smile. "Forever's good for me too."

My chest tightens at her affirmation. That's the most I could ever ask from her.

* * *

><p>I hold my friend's hand and let her compose herself. "I just knew…" she sniffles and brings a handkerchief to her eyes again. The inside of my cheek throbs from where I've had to bite it to keep my emotions in check.<p>

Tia, even as a teenager, was always so composed. She was the epitome of rising above your upbringing. Much like Erica, which her and my Erica talked about and commiserated at length over, Tia's home life wasn't stellar. Her sister's serving two consecutive life sentences, her brother was shot and killed during an altercation a decade ago involving the Grand Disciples and Three-N-G gangs.

Tia got a scholarship to our high school and put herself through college. Logan, I think, fell in love with her the moment he saw her. Really, with Tia's smooth brown skin, big brown eyes and engaging smile, I can see why he did. She's a little taller than I am with lean muscle, some would call it a runner's body and that would fit for her. She was all-state in track and field.

"Is this…" Tia finally speaks and stops the question. Her chest rises and falls before she can continue, "With Erica…is this?"

I nod. "I knew when she didn't come home. I'm sorry Tee." I pull her to me and let her cry into my shoulder. I feel her shudder and shake underneath me. Cutting my gaze to Nora, my girl looks absolutely miserable.

"Tee, I know this is hard, but, do you think it would be okay if we let Det. Delaney go into Logan's office so we can talk?" I ask gently.

"Nora, if you need anything come see us, but one of the maids will direct you to his office," I direct her.

"Wait," Tia interrupts us, "Why don't…detective please stay and ask your questions." My friend rights herself and brushes away the tears.

I look her over and ask, "Tia?"

She shakes off my concern. "I want whoever did this caught. That's first. I can grieve when you leave."

My left eyebrow hikes. Nora shoots me a look that matches what I'm feeling. "Tia," I start, "You don't have to…"

"Nikki, please, the sooner I answer your questions, the sooner you and your partner can start. Please?" my friend pleads.

I take the only path left to me and nod. "All right. Do you know what Logan was working on?"

"Mostly it was the startup of the Renaissance House. It was such a big project for the program that some days I didn't know whether he was comin' or goin'. Truth be told, I don't know if he did either. We were working on the auction for the spring drive and he had his few close clients at the investment firm." She bites her lip and shakes her head. "I'm sorry," she finally says.

"When did you last speak to him?" Nora asks, still fidgeting in her seat.

Tia blinks and looks at her numbly. "Right before I went to bed…ten last night or there abouts. He was at the office, the firm's offices and he said that he still had some work to do before leaving. Some big trade in…Sweeden, I think."

That tracks with what was on the screens this morning.

"Have you two received any odd phone calls, messages of any type that are out of the ordinary or threatening communications?" Nora presses.

Tia shakes her head. "Nothing." Her lips purse as she looks Nora over. "Detective, I understand that…there are assumptions about us, our family, but Logan doesn't – didn't – have an enemy. He was always kind, soft spoken, people liked him."

I agree with Tia, "Nora, Logan was a good man. I can't think of one person in the years I've known him that would say a bad word about him."

"That helps," Nora agrees.

"So what are the next steps? What do you need from me?" Tia asks the both of us.

"We'll send over some tech's to go through his office, see if there's anything there that would be of interest once…"

"I thought you wanted Det. Delaney to go there…"

I pat her knee and admit, "It was just to give us some privacy, Tee."

"Oh, if you'd like though, his office is open. The hard drive is encrypted, but I have all of the passwords if you need them," Tia supplies. "Also, I'm sure you have, Logan was good about making sure you had access to whatever you needed, but for the firm and the league I have all of his user information."

I nod. "I have everything for the league. He never did share his actual work information."

Tia stands and motions us into the kitchen. We follow her through the den and stop short as she begins to rummage through her purse. She pulls out a Blackberry and begins to scroll through the menu. Without being asked, Nora provides Tia her case notebook and a pen.

"Thank you," Tia says taking the offered items and begins to write the information the techs will need once they get the computer back to the station. She finally stops writing and hands the pen and book back to Nora. "That's everything I think you'll need."

"Thank you, Mrs. Walker," Nora says and slips the items into her back pocket.

Tia closes her eyes and takes in a deep breath. "You're welcome."

"I think, that will do for now. We do need to get back to the station," Nora tries to excuse us.

"Of course," Tia begins to lead us out towards the foyer and asks, "Nikki, how are things, by the way, I know that…are you still seeing that colleague you've kept under wraps?"

Nora gives a low squeak in surprise, but I deflect Tia's interest, "Yes. I know you've been bugging me. With work…"

"So you've said," Tia waves off my apology. "I just think it's sweet. You bein' so protective. I hope the woman knows how lucky she is. We've been after you for nearly three years to bring her around."

I smile at Nora then look at my friend. "Maybe I can convince her sometime. I'm sure you two would get on well."

"I'll look forward to it." Tia pulls the door open and Nora slips passed.

I drop my voice and ask, "Do you need anything?"

Shaking her head, my friend answers, "I have some phone calls to make. Arrangements and what not. I'll call you later tonight or tomorrow?"

Nodding, I lean in and wrap my arms around her. "You call, for anything," I whisper and leave her with a kiss on her damp cheek.

* * *

><p>"Beaumont, Delaney, Armstrong, Barrett!" Dan bellows from his office doorway.<p>

We literally just got back to the station. And does he have to be such a jerk about it?

Nora, Benny and Dom all give a collective eye roll. I just rub at the pulsating spot in the middle of my forehead. As if reaming the four of us for our self-reassignment is going to help matters.

I bring up the rear and close Dan's office door behind me. The four of us fan out and take a stance in front of his cluttered desk. If his office could look any more cliché, I'd be amazed. Sometimes those cop shows get things all wrong, their C.S.I. units sometimes make me laugh, but on occasion, like how our desks look, they're spot on.

It's only mildly irritating.

"Someone better fucking explain to me why you four came in without your partners?" Dan barks. "You don't break off like you weren't given different goddamn assignments!"

"Nor, you weren't with me when I got in?" Benny pops off.

Nora's eyebrow arcs and she shrugs. "Thought I came in with you."

"Ben cut the shit," Dan growls.

"Hmm, could be 'cause you think I'm so pretty," Dom pipes up, "you love lookin' at my ass Ben. I can see how you'd get me and Delaney confused."

Dan stops his tight pace behind his desks and glares at the three of them.

"If we could…" I start

"Could what? You could tell me how you're jeopardizing you job, detective?" Dan cuts in.

"Hey," Nora protests

"Now, wait a…" Benny tries to interject.

"Yo!" Dom wins out for being the loudest out of the three. "There's no need to threaten us when we were doing are goddamn jobs!" Dom's usually not one to lose his head. My mouth drops open at his tirade, "Beaumont and I got the call. Being the good cop she is, she recognized the conflict and called Armstrong and Delaney in to take over if need be. Given that the vic was an old friend of hers, she did the best damn job she could. So don't give her shit 'cause she wanted to deliver the news personally. I told her to take Delaney. I told her Armstrong and I'd let you know – which we did. So if you're gonna holler and fuss at anyone, direct your shit this way Harney!"

Dan's jaw bunches as he stares Dom down. "You done?"

"No," Dom spits right back and folds his arms over his chest, "This reassignment is bullshit! I like Beaumont well enough, but we ain't suited to partner up. Her and Delaney work best together, just like Armstrong and me." He jams his thumb in his chest for emphasis. "Just 'cause some brass got their panties all knotted up 'cause someone gunned for her don't mean she's partnered with the wrong detective. Bunch of fuckin' sexist bullshit!"

Four sets of eyebrows hike in response to the outburst. I know for sure that if flies were swarming around us we'd all be spitting a few of them out right now. That was…

Unexpected.

"Now you done?" Dan asks this time a smirk tweaks the edges of his mouth before he drops a scowl overtop it.

Dom swallows; I think he's a little surprised himself, and nods.

"Good, now since you two," he points a finger between Benny and Dom, "have already felt the need to fill me in; ya'll can leave. Nora too, Nikki you stay."

Benny and Dom don't need to be told twice, but Nora lingers in the doorway, looking between the two of us.

"Go Delaney or I'll put your ass on the front desk for a month," Dan snaps.

Nora doesn't budge; instead she shuts the door and marches up to his desk. Her hands plant themselves in the files and papers, finding purchase amongst the chaos. She leans in and growls, "I'll be damned if I'm going to let you bully my partner, my coworker and my girlfriend because we actually followed protocol. Whatever crawled up your ass this morning Dan, get it the fuck out and leave Nikki alone or we're going to have some serious issues."

I watch the two stare each other down. In the years I've been in S.C.U. I've seen them butt heads on more than one occasion. I've never seen them square off quite like this. It's a Discovery channel moment if ever there was one.

Deciding to be the voice of reason in the department's largest pissing contest I've ever witnessed, I reach out and place a hand on the small of Nora's back.

This breaks both of them and they look at me. Dan mops his face with his right hand and breathes a sigh of relief…exasperation...? I can't be sure which. "It would have been better if one of you had called me. I had Blanco, our governor, on the phone telling me that she wanted the killer found yesterday." Dan's left hand slips from his hips and he shakes his head. "Is there anything else I should know?"

"Not right now," Nora says with more edge to her voice than necessary.

Dan's lips press together before he nods. "Nikki, you okay to actually work this from the periphery?"

I nod.

"You done being a jerk?" Nora snaps.

"You done being an overprotective bitch?" Dan snaps right back.

"Not even close," Nora grounds out.

"Then go park your ass at your desk until you can act like a cop. I'm done with both of you."

I watch Nora spin on her heel and storm out of the office. I look back at Dan, unable to read the emotions rippling under the surface. I shake my head and walk out of the office wondering when the hell things went so off course.


	16. You've Come Too Far

**You've Come Too Far**

"Det. Barrett," a young woman in uniform holding another banker's box interrupts us. She stands off to the side between our two desks and asks, "Where would you like this?"

Dom doesn't even look away from the computer screen, but does stop twirling the pen in his hands as he answers, "Drop it here," he points at her feet. Something grabs his attention and the pen gets clamped between his teeth as he hammers away at his keyboard and grunts.

The uniform shrugs her shoulders and drops the box at her feet. She looks me over and offers a tentative smile. I nod in return then go back to Logan's clients holdings that his secretary sent over. I made sure to grab mine and Nora's box. I'm sure there is one or two things in the now two other boxes that need to be sorted, but I can lessen the impact. Grabbing a thick black Sharpie, I draw a solid line through my name and Nora's.

"Ya'll are getting buried in paperwork," Benny slides up to us to perch on the edge of my desk.

"Way to state the obvious, Armstrong," I grouse.

"Hey, Delaney, get your ass over here and help your partners," Benny yells across three desks to his partner.

Her head pops up from behind her own monitor with a scowl firmly planted on her beautiful face.

"Come on, Delaney," Dom urges her.

The frown deepens, but she does stand, ambling over our way.

"Why?" she asks once she's standing in front of Benny. The near pout, a bottom lip protruding for the briefest of moments, disappears before it gets sucked between her teeth.

"Just 'cause you…" Dom trails off finally looking away from the computer screen to see the scowl being sent his way.

I'm sure that finding her petulance and surly attitude sexy does nothing for me at this moment, but given the day, I enjoy it just the same.

"Hey," Benny tries to de fuse the potentially bloody situation, "So let me get this right, you," he points to me, "are still technically only cleared for desk duty," he points to Nora, "and you went and got…well that is, Dan assigned you to desk duty?" He licks his lips and scoots back a little.

Nora nods. I say, "That would be correct."

"So, if you two are stuck at your desks, technically," he drawls slowly, "don't that mean that Dominic and I are working this case together?"

My eyebrows hike and I look at Nora. Her head's cocked to the side, digesting the obvious information.

"Huh," Dom grunts, "Shit, well don't that beat all." He smiles a smug little smile and leans back, lacing his fingers behind his head.

He's right. By default that puts Nora and I together.

That little shit.

I shake my head as a small grin breaks out across Nora's face.

"Best damn news I've had all fucking day," she finally breathes. Smacking Benny on the thigh, she directs, "All right get your ass up and get us some chairs. We've got some paperwork to sift through."

Benny wiggles his eyebrows, proud of his accomplishment. Really, getting Nora to crack a grin after her and Dan go at it really is a miracle. He hops off my desk and rounds up two chairs.

Nora slides next to me and elbows me over. "So, what have we got?" she asks grabbing a stack of files.

"We were checking to see if there were any accounts that were volatile, maybe money missing, something that looked hinky or ya know enraging," Dom supplies.

"Hmm," Nora hums. "We call Charlie?"

"Yeah, he won't be able to get to Lo's body until tomorrow morning," I answer. "He did approximate a time of death."

"Which is?" Benny asks from his spot next to Dom.

"Anywhere from five to seven hours from the time the body was discovered," I answer.

"Okay, so, Mrs. Walker said that she talked to Logan around ten p.m. , Nik, we were interrupted by Dom's call around five-twen…" she trails off realizing her error.

"Five-twenty, 'cause I called you shortly aft…" I try to cover up.

Dominic and Benny just shake their heads, grins threatening to break free. Dom holds out his hand and makes the 'come-on' motion to Benny. Rolling his eyes, Benny sighs and reaches for his wallet, pulls out a few twenties and slaps them in Dom's outstretched hand. The other detective just grins and stuffs them in his pants' pocket.

"So, you got the call at five-twenty," Benny finishes Nora's thought after he tucks his wallet away, "If the missus spoke to him at say ten then that means there's a six and a half hour window. The cleaning lady called it in at four-forty-two a.m."

"Let's clock it at ten-thirty," Dom picks up, "So that leaves us with a little over thirty-two hours to break this case open." Dom shakes his head.

"We're workin' it from the wrong angle," Nora's voice comes back. "We've got a limited window. It's gotta be someone he was expecting. We need his phone records, cell and business, yesterday."

"I can do that," Benny says. "Sharla, this little redhead at the phone company, is sweet on me, I can see if she can speed up the process."

"We get anything from security?" Nora asks, toeing one of the boxes that have not been opened.

I tap two video cassettes on top of my desk that are off to the left.

"Why don't you two go shake those phone records loose and Nikki and I'll watch these, see if there's anything here," Nora stands and grabs the tapes.

Benny and Dom give a nod and gather their coats and keys to leave. Nora waits on me as I close up my desk and lock my computer. We're about ready to head to the video room when Benny and Dom swing back around our way.

"We'll give you two a call if we hit anything major," Benny says. Pausing, he looks between the two of us then leans forward, dropping his voice, he whispers conspiratorially, "As careful as you two are, just remember to lock that vid room door; we wouldn't anyone walkin' in, ya know." He pulls back, eyebrows dancing merrily and saunters away. Dom chuckles softly following him.

* * *

><p>The heels of my hands rub at my eyes and I blink to try and clear the spots. Sitting here for the last three hours looking at grainy security footage has not been fun. Not only has it not been fun, but it's given us absolutely nothing.<p>

Nora must agree as she hits stop on the VCR. "So," she groans and arcs back to stretch, "We've got an unidentified meeting Logan at ten-fifty-three…that's all. They didn't leave and we can't tell if they were male or female."

I run a hand through my hair and groan. "Probably the killer though," I offer with little enthusiasm.

"Let's hope Benny and Dom get something with the phone records, maybe that'll help." Nora stands and begins to put away the equipment when there's a rap at the door.

A blonde head pokes through and I smile at the blue eyes and wide grin.

"I'm looking for one Det. Nikki Beaumont," Jen drawls, stepping all the way in and shutting the door gently behind her.

Nora looks between the two of us and points to me. "You found her."

Chuckling, I step up to the room's new occupant and offer her a hug. "What are you doing here?" I ask as I let her go.

"Wanted to drop a few things off that might be of interest to you. Some of the files Logan had on his desk at Tilton," Jen tells me and stretches out her hand to Nora, "Jennifer Scivik."

Nora's manners come out and she takes Jen's greeting. "Det. Nora Delaney."

Jen's mouth slips open and she breathes, "Nice to finally meet The Infamous Nora Delaney?"

"Nik?" Nora questions.

Oh, boy.

I swallow and bite the bullet, "Jen's a friend, Nora. She's also the Vice President of Operations and Logan's right hand gal at the firm."

"Just a friend?" Jen chides lightly, "It appears all that I am is a mere speck of light in our beloved Beaumont's time before she was transferred to this unit…and partnered with you."

"You?" Nora snaps.

"Nora, please?" I ask gently.

Taken a little aback, Jen lays a hand to her chest and apologizes, "Sorry, detective, I didn't mean…"

Nora just shakes her head and asks, "So you two were…"

Holding her hand up, Jen explains, "Many years ago, detective. She quit looking my way about the same time she started up here."

"Jen, you make it sound so…" I chastise her.

"I'm sorry again. I like to tease Nikki here. I didn't mean to step on any toes," Jen apologizes again. "Really, I knew she was a goner the minute she started gushing about her new partner."

Nora's eyebrows hike, but she says, "Well, I'll leave you two to catch up. I'm going to check in with the boys."

I watch her scurry off, the door to the vid room closing a little too harshly for my tastes.

Jen winces. "I think I may have made you sleep on the couch tonight, didn't I?"

I don't dignify the question with a response and instead watch her as she moves to the table and takes my vacated seat. "You were trying to get me into trouble?" I finally ask.

Jennifer smirks and says, "Honestly, I'm not sure. I did drop off some files, gave them to a Dan Harney. He directed me here."

"And you just had to see for yourself?" I saunter over to Nora's chair and ease myself into it.

My blonde ex shrugs. "Are you telling me that if the roles were reversed…"

"I'm telling you that I never held anything back Jennifer and what I've told you has been in the strictest of confidence…" I interrupt her to remind her.

"So saying hello to the woman that you've talked to me about was a breach of that confidence? Jesus, Nikki I just said hello. I thought…"

I shake my head. "We're at work. You know we can't out ourselves here."

She finally ducks her head and sighs. "I'm sorry. I just didn't…I thought since no one was around it would be okay."

"You thought wrong," I say simply.

She nods and agrees, "It seems I did. I'm sorry." She raises her head and looks me over. "You never told her about me?"

I shake my head. "We stopped seeing each other my first week here."

"No sense bringing up the past?" she asks a little bitterly.

"No sense in stirring a pot that was removed from the fire," I answer honestly.

"Right," she breathes, running her hands along her thighs. "So, I'm out of line and a little embarrassed. You always did hold that hand of yours too close to your chest."

"Only way to play good poker," I smile at her this time, knowing she's been properly put in her place.

"And you play a helluva hand."

I dip my chin and fold my arms over my chest. "So, what was our dear Logan working on?"

"I brought the files for you to go over. The Renaissance House was his primary project. It took up a lot of his time. A lot of the organizations time. I brought you most of that and some additional paperwork that I need your signature on."

"Of course," I groan. "Sorry I haven't been in…"

"You were shot. I swung by a few times, but you were either sleeping, being guarded by that cop of yours and one time you were gone – the nurse said testing. I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to see you." She points to my hair and whistles.

"You didn't meet Nora then?" I wonder.

She shakes her head. "She didn't look up to it and I didn't think…well, it didn't seem the right time to introduce myself."

"That was a kindness, thanks Jen," I smirk.

"Well, sometimes I know when to not pull the claws out." She blows off my olive branch and stands. "I'll let you and the other detectives get to work. I want to see the bastard that killed Lo strung up. I'm glad you're working on it."

Standing with her, I head to the door and direct her out. She slides up next to me, her hand rests over mine pressing my hand into the door knob before she says, "She's cute in that surly sort of way."

I grin. "She's amazing."

"She would have to be if she's keeping you. Do me a favor and apologize for me?"

I nod as she kisses my cheek and then strides down the hall to the stairwell.

I sigh and hang my head. Guess it's time for some damage control.

* * *

><p>Pinching the button on my blouse, I use the cotton material to fan myself. A bead of sweat trickles behind my ear and down my neck. Glancing at the other detectives, they don't look near as warm as I do.<p>

Nora looks up just then and locks her green eyes on to mine. "What's wrong?"

Benny and Dom both look up from the file the three of them were looking over to see what Nora was talking about.

"Hot," I say.

"Here," Benny glides away from the table to the small thermostat by the door. "It's at seventy-two. Hmm." He fiddles with a knob or a button and I hear the air conditioning unit kick on. A cool breeze washes over me and I sigh.

"I may just have to plant one on you, Armstrong. Thank you," I say gratefully.

"Hey, you ain't gettin' me shot. How about I take a nice handshake and we call it square," he smiles as he walks back over to the table and plops down in his chair.

"You two were the only ones involved in that little wager?" Nora surprises us all by asking.

Dom and Benny both flush at the question.

"Nora, I don't…" I try to warn her off but she shakes her head.

"Look, it's obvious they think they know something. I want to know." She's adamant about this. I shrug. We talked over lunch about their exchange and about Jen. She was far calmer about the bet than she was Jen.

I suppose if I were in her shoes…

Well, Ann and Jill still cause small bouts of jealousy and insecurity, but not like they used to. If I'm honest, the first time I saw the three of them together, I wanted to rip Jill's lips off while I cut Ann's hands off.

The homicidal urges faded after a couple of years.

Now they just flirt with me as shamelessly as they flirt with Nora.

My girl doesn't seem to mind when they do it, but anyone else…she's impossible to manage.

Dom and Benny exchange a glance before Dom's mouth opens, "Just us."

Nora nods. "We going to have problems?"

Benny's face pinches, but Dom's clouds over as he balks, "I'd take a bullet for you Delaney. You really going to insult me by asking if I have a problem with which gender you like to do the horizontal hip to hip with?"

Nora doesn't move and doesn't answer. Dom carries on, "Just 'cause I say some backwater bullshit don't mean I'm backwater. Can't have the rooks thinking we're all touchy-feely like Benny, what good would that do them? They'd get their asses shot up for being bleeding heart pansies." He grins at Nora and I, offering me a wink and a smirk. "Don't mean I can't set 'em straight when they say some ignorant shit. Besides, it's the best way to get a rise out of Benny. He's so goddamn Zen about shit I need to ruffle those feathers somehow."

"What that dipshit next to you is trying to say, both of you, we got your back…all of it," Benny butts in. "You got people on your side here."

Nora's shoulders droop a little and she asks, "You two find anything in the phone records?"

Dom shakes his head. "There was a repeated phone number that matches the T.O.D. or there about, but it's a prepaid phone. No name."

"Well, all of Logan's investment records are in order. He was doing well with the investments for Nora and me," I fill in.

"If it wasn't a client for his business, you both agree that it wasn't a personal grudge," Dom thinks out loud, "Then what about from your charity?"

"I just…we went over a few of those files; the Renaissance House was taking up a huge chunk of time. Logan usually isn't one to be so hands on…not like he was for this project." I shake my head.

"What exactly is it?" Benny asks pulling a stack of papers his way. He shifts and loosens the maroon tie around his neck and pops the top two buttons on his once crisp white shirt.

"It's a transition house. From the executive overview that was given before I green lighted the project, Logan proposed a house that helped women and children in transition. Either coming from a battered women's shelter, homeless shelter, jail, halfway house or the streets. It was a place they could stay; get help finding employment and a place to live. Logan wanted the place to also offer a low income daycare," I answer and lean back in my chair lacing my hands over my stomach. "This was his baby."

Dom's eyebrows knit together and he asks, "He ever show any interest in this before?"

I shake my head. "Not really. Logan focused a lot on kids." A wry smile breaks out and I say, "Well, he also funneled some money in to the N.O.P.D. He said that if I was working for it, they should have better equipment. He was able to get those new vests and emergency response vehicles for the department."

"So why the shift in focus?" Nora wonders.

I shake my head. "I don't know, but I loved the idea so I didn't think much of it."

"It's worth a deeper look at," Dom presses.

"Who else would know?" Benny leans forward; his arms fold across the table top.

"My aunt would, Tia maybe." My mouth screws to the side before I lick my lips and decide, "Why don't you two go talk to Tia, maybe she'll give you guys some different information. I'll take Nora with me to my aunt's; see if she can shed some light."

"You don't think your friend was honest?" Benny prods.

"Could be that Mrs. Walker will look at you differently and be more forthcoming. We use our badge to make people nervous and talk," Nora answers for me. "I think what Nikki is thinking is that Tia will be more nervous and say something that she usually wouldn't in front of a friend."

"Ah," Benny bobs his head, "Can't hurt. We've got nothing else."

"How you gonna clear this with Dan?" Dom stands and begins organizing the papers.

I look down at my watch, look back up and grin, "It's five-twenty-eight, what I do off the clock doesn't concern Dan Harney."

Waggling his finger at me, Benny smiles. "I like the way you work Beaumont. I like the way you work."

"So we'll go do a quick interview and then meet back here in the a.m.?" Nora stands along with the rest of us and helps Dom in his task.

"Aye, Aye, Cap'n," Benny salutes.


	17. Marking Territory

**Marking Territory**

Sometimes, I think family should come with an editing feature. I love my Aunt Peggy; I do, but some days…

I swear the woman lacks the sense God gave a gnat.

Nora and I have been sitting here listening to her drone on and on about the garden she's designing for a local hospital, the name escapes me, for the past half hour. While it's all well and good that she feels like she's contributing to the betterment of society with roses and tulips, we have a murder to solve.

Nora sits to my left on the couch in the drawing room, but I think my lover's gone comatose. Her green eyes are looking towards my aunt, but they have this glassy quality that looks suspiciously like what happens when I start talking clothes.

I do draw a breath when I feel her hand settle on top of my thigh.

"…and I just told Linn that if she was going to insist on the stone walkway we were not going to be able to afford the bird baths that Cheryl had picked out," my aunt buzzes on, "And do you know what she said to me?" Aunt Peggy's voice climbs a little higher and I suppress the wince.

"She said," the woman continues, apparently not caring if we want to take a guess at what Linn said, "that if I hadn't insisted on the Spirea or the Hydrangea that there would be plenty in the budget." She clucks her tongue and then finally draws this little story to a close, "Well, I said it was a garden and what garden is complete without some Spirea or Hydrangea? None, that's what."

"Hmm-uh, I completely agree," I say automatically.

This causes my aunt to reach out and pat my knee. Her eyes scan my forehead and scalp, pursing her lips the longer she looks. "You know Nikki dear, I know a fantastic plastic surgeon. Why don't I set you up an appointment for later this week? I'm sure he'll be able to take care of those for you."

Nora's grip tightens on my thigh and I quickly cover her hand with mine while I answer, "You know Aunt Peggy, these aren't so bad. My hair's already growing back and the scrapes will fade."

"Well, yes dear, but it's so unbecoming that a lady of your stature should be forced to walk around with such a blemish," my aunt objects as my teeth grind together.

"Please Aunt Peggy, Nora and I do have a bit more to do before we can call it a day," I say ignoring the comment. "We've been up since early this morning and we have to meet Darius and Nora's brother for dinner in an hour."

"Darius?" she questions, "The colored man with the nose ring?"

"That would be him," I answer. "So can you tell me what you know of Logan's big project? How did it start and did he tell you why he was so intent on the idea?"

"Nikki," my aunt's eyes skirt to Nora briefly before focusing back on me, "I understand you feel this need to sow those wild Beaumont oats, but don't you think that it's time to grow up a little and renew your associations with your peers?"

My mouth opens and closes for a few seconds before I recover. What is it about today? First Logan, then Dan, then Jen and now her? Did I piss someone off that I'm not aware of?

"I am her peer," Nora grits out as her eyes narrow.

My aunt offers Nora a dismissive laugh and waves her hand. "I hardly think that working with her and sharing a bed with her gives you the right to call my niece a peer. I'm sure you are not without your charms, detective, but my Nikki will require more as she gets older. It doesn't appear to me that you are capable to offer that to her."

When did this turn into this?

"I think that's enough," I say and stand, pulling Nora up with me. Aunt Peggy scrambles to her feet and without letting Nora's hand go, I step into her personal space. I'm not one to be so…forceful, especially with my aunt…

She did, however, cross this line first.

"If I may speak for myself here," I hiss, "I'm not entirely sure what has gotten into you today, but until you can apologize to my partner we have nothing to discuss. What I need is her," I raise our interlocked hands up to Peggy's eye level. "She provides me far more than I need and she will continue to do so regardless of what you may think of it." Dropping our hands, I lean in further and ask, "Do you have anything to add about Logan and the Renaissance House?"

"You will not take that tone with me, young lady. After everything that's happened, you would think you young ones would understand, mixing with people not at your level will inevitably get you hurt or worse, killed. If you're so intrigued with Logan and his pet project, I suggest talking to that woman he married," she states coolly. "Your lifestyle choices Nicollette are going to get you killed. You can't expect your family to stand by and watch you throw away your heritage. I've been telling that father of yours for years that he should make you quit. What drove you to join the police I will never know…" she trails off and shakes her head. "You are a Beaumont and a Tilton and that requires a certain level of responsibility. It's high time we quit coddling you and force you to remove yourself from amongst the filth Arthur's allowed you to wallow in."

My retort isn't even formed as Nora steps between the two of us. For the second time that day she puts herself on the line for me, "Listen Peggy, I could care less what you think of me, but I swear to God if I ever hear you talk to Nikki that way again, I will provide you with a first class ticket to the emergency room free of charge."

"Call your junk yard dog off Nicollette. She does not want to get on my bad side," my aunt warns.

"Lady, I could give a shit less; you're already on mine," Nora growls.

Finally catching up to what's going on, I yank Nora back and spit at my aunt's feet, "A_llez en enfer!_ Family or not, you can take the silicone spread around your body, Peggy Beaumont, and…" I stop unable to say what I really want …I can't make the words form…

I do the next best thing though.

I leave the woman no time to respond as I drag Nora away and out of the house. As I hit the sidewalk and practically run to the car, I can't tell who is shaking worse, me or Nora.

* * *

><p>"She did what?" Darius howls as I fill him in on our encounter with Peggy Beaumont.<p>

The whiskey sour Casey brought me no more than two minutes ago is already empty. Nora being the sweet creature she is, is already flagging down our friend and waving both empty glasses around.

Darius rocks back in his chair shaking his head. The beads in his hair clink as the braids sway together.

"You should have seen Nora, Dar," I sigh and grab Nora's hand, pulling it into my lap.

"She got up on that steed didn't she?" Darius gives Nora a rueful grin and winks at her. "That's the Nora I know."

"Twice today," I inform him and then lean over and peck my knight on the cheek.

My _kouzin's_ head cocks to the side and I explain, "You know about Logan, but when we get to the station, Dan rips us a new one. At first Barrett stepped up and defended the decisions made amongst the four of us, but Dan wanted me to stay back."

"Asshole," Nora grouses from next to me.

I roll my eyes and carry on, "So he tells everyone to go, but Lancelot here had another idea. She pretty much told him to keep his mouth shut and if he didn't quit acting like a horse's ass she'd shut it for him."

"You threatened your boss?" Darius whistles. "That's not brave, Nora, that's foolish." He wags a finger at her.

"Nora? Foolish?" Casey questions as she sets down a tray full of fresh drinks. "I've known this of her for years. Foolish is her natural state." The bartender pokes her tongue between her lips and sends us a grin.

"Ya'll can…"

"Nora," I warn her off. She huffs but decides to keep her mouth shut. "Cas, you going to sit a spell?" I really would like to sit down with her and find out if she's okay.

She pulls out a chair, one that was vacated by Chris, and picks up her beer. "I'm done for the night. So what did Dan do?"

"Desk duty," Nora grumbles and takes a long drink from her rum and coke.

"No way?" Casey and Darius say at the same time.

"He called me an over protective bitch," she growls.

"You called him an asshole," I remind her gently.

Her lips purse, but she keeps quiet as the D.J. queues another song. I hear Chris whoop and look to the dance floor. He and Patrick are rubbing together looking like they've been coming here for years. I shake my head and go back to the conversation at the table.

"Whatever," Nora finally says, "as if that was just the icing on the fucking shit cake we've had today."

I nod. "True."

"There's more?" Darius presses us.

"Bad day?" Casey leans forward and rests her forearms on the table to hear the conversation better.

Nora shrugs at me and I take that as the go ahead. "We were called out to a scene at five this morning. The victim was an old friend. Then we had our run in with Dan after we finished telling my other friend that her husband was murdered. We can add a scoop of our new partners betting on whether Nora and I are an item…"

"Wait," Casey, interrupts me, "what?"

"We got split up and are working with two other detectives. They had a personal wager that Nikki and I are together," Nora answers her, dropping her head into her hands.

"They cool?" Darius speaks up now, concern creasing his brow.

I nod, "If that didn't beat all, Jen stopped by, pissed Nora off. We got to end our day with my aunt being a complete and utter bitch," I say sourly. I still can't believe she…I had it out with my father on our way over here. He said he'd sort it out, but right now…

I'm not even close to being interested in what apology Peggy Beaumont can offer Nora. Her opinion of me…well, that was tarnished when I joined the force. It was near shot to hell when I came out her.

"Jesus, NIk," Casey reaches over and takes the hand that was wrapped around my glass, "I'm sorry, babe. You need anything?"

"The drinks are plenty enough, Cas. Thanks," I say and give her hand a squeeze. "What about you, you okay?"

She nods. "An old high school friend overdosed. His family is worthless so me and our other two girl friends from high school took care of everything."

"Awe, cher," Darius offers his support and squeezes her shoulder.

Casey just shrugs it off. "You all can be sympathetic when I'm done being pissed at him." We all nod and she asks, "I got the skinny from you two, but what have you been up to Darius?"

"Runnin' around like a fool," he answers. "There was some drama at a youth center and I've been in and out of court acting as a guardian for one of the kids until they get his living situation straightened out."

"Bad?" Casey asks and sips her beer.

"Mom tweeks, dad hits the pipe…it's not good," he explains.

Darius' eyes turn to the two approaching us and I can hear Chris singing along to the song, _"We can head to the crib in a lil bit, I can show ya how I live in a lil bit, I wanna unbutton your pants just a lil bit, Take 'em off and pull 'em down just a lil bit, Get to kissin' and touchin' a lil bit, Get to lickin' and - a lil bit…"_ The shorter man grinds his bottom into Patrick and laces their hands together in front of his neck. He continues to put on a show using his behind to rock Patrick back and forth in front of the table, _"Baby you got me feelin' right, my mama gone, you can spend the night, I ain't playin', I'ma tryna fuck tonight. Clothes off, face down, ass up, c'mon!"_

We all crack up, but Patrick just rolls his eyes at his partner's antics.

They're both shiny from their stint on the dance floor, but given the day, I'll take genuine happiness where I can get it. They look genuinely happy.

"Nik?" Darius calls out to me. He doesn't say anything more, just levels me with one of his inscrutable looks.

"Too much to process today. When I hit it, if Nora's not around you know…" I stop there. He knows me.

Dipping his chin, the corner of his mouth quirks up slightly before dropping back down. He turns his gaze towards Pat and Chris. "What you know about Fifty Cent?" his eyebrows dance as he questions Chris' musical knowledge.

Chris leans back in his chair and downs a few gulps of water before he answers, "I was on that cut during the final production stages." He winks at Darius and amends, "The album'll be released next month."

"Cool, didn't peg you for a rap, hip-hop guy," Darius nods his approval. "Some of it's all right…I wish they'd get off the bling and car tip, but…"

"I know, it's an issue. Rap and hip-hop, the way it started…ya know a lot like the punk movement or even earlier the rock and roll innovations in the fifties, but like everything…" Chris holds his hands up.

"People wanna make that chedda and we all get screwed," Darius finishes up.

"Woah," Casey interrupts, "we all get screwed? I call bullshit. The reason they make that shit is because people buy it. If the dumb asses would quit thinking that's actually how life is and stop buying the over produced tripe," she cuts a look to Chris and amends, "No offense, but record labels would push for more honest representations from their artists."

Chris chuckles around the bottle of water. "You actually have a point, but…since Sony pays my bills, I'm just gonna smile and shut up."

I feel Nora shift beside me. Looking over, her phone's to her ear and she answers, "Delaney…yeah…we'll be right there."

That's our cue.

I look to Darius for help. He waves his hand and says, "You two go rescue kittens and shit. I'll handle these two."

I lean over the table and kiss him on the cheek. "Love you."

"Me too, kouz'. Be careful," he whispers against my cheek. I nod and feel Nora tug on my belt loop.

We wave goodbye to our table and I ask on our way out, "What's going on?"

"Barrett and Armstrong have a suspect in the box," she states breaking into a light jog towards the car.

* * *

><p>"Run us through," Nora demands before I'm even through the door of the observation room.<p>

On the monitor, Benny sits across from a woman, maybe early forties, on the smaller side, but she's got that look about her…washed out eyes and hair. Barely a spark behind the light grey eyes. Her and Benny are just staring at each other.

Dom's arms are crossed over his chest and he's glaring at the monitor. Without looking up, he answers Nora's demand, "We went to see Tia Walker before we were supposed to go home. Tia gave us some background on why Logan's interest shifted. Apparently, last year, Logan and Tia were out at the movies and they met our suspect, Mrs. Debbie Banks. She was out panhandling, had a kid with her. Logan and Tia started talking to her and Logan directed her to a shelter. Since then, Logan's been trying to do something for women like her."

Dom shifts his weight from foot to foot, but his eyes don't waver from the screen. "So fast forward some months and here we are. Benny was smart and asked Mrs. Walker about the number from the throw away cell, she recognized it right away. So we swung by the place the Walker's helped Sullivan get. She tried to rabbit as soon as she saw the badge." He shakes his head and spits, "She ain't even had the damn balls to deny our accusation. We were gonna make her sweat it out overnight, but…we thought you'd two want in on this."

"Thanks, Barrett," Nora and I say at the same time.

Our eyes shift to the monitor and Dom reaches down, flicking the switch for the sound on in the room next to us.

"Mrs. Sullivan," Benny starts out, "I'm Det. Benjamin Armstrong. Do you know why you're here?"

She nods but remains silent. Her head droops; her hair falls and obscures her face.

"Do you know Logan Walker?" Benny asks, leaning forward, his hands clasped in front of him.

"Yeah," her voice is quiet, but raspy.

"Did you meet with Mr. Walker at his offices last night at approximately ten-forty-five?" he prods. Benny's demeanor is interesting. He's going at her as non-aggressively as possible. Soft tones, non-threatening body posture and gestures. If she ran from them, he knows we have her locked down.

"Did you guys search the house?" I ask quietly.

"We'll do that tomorrow. I wasn't gonna wake an A.D.A. and a judge for a near non-necessary warrant.

We have her. We Mirandized her. She hasn't asked for shit."

"Would you like to tell me what happened between you and Mr. Walker?" Benny's voice is nearly soothing. It's a stark contrast to the man I know.

"I didn't mean too," Sullivan whispers.

"Didn't mean to what, Debbie?" Benny backs off and leans back in his chair.

"I, uh, I went to see him, needed some help with rent." She swallows and continues. "I didn't mean nothin' … he just…he didn't do nothin', I just…all I saw was Wayne coming at me when Logan turned around to give me a check…" She licks her lips and shakes her head. Tears begin tracking down her cheeks. "Next thing I know, his blood's all over my hands and I'm straddlin' his waist…" Her cuffed hands come up and cover her face.

Benny's jaw muscles bunch then smooth out a few times before he asks, "Who is Wayne?"

It takes Sullivan a few minutes for her to pull herself together to answer the question, "My husband."

"Where is Wayne, Debbie?"

She shakes her head; her thin lips disappear as she presses them together.

Benny leans forward and opens up a blue folder. He slides a glossy print in front of Debbie and taps the top right corner. "That's Wayne isn't it?"

She stares down at the crime scene photo. A young Caucasian man lies face down in a pool of blood. A large circle of blood mars the white tank top he has on. The spot that's bloody is nearly the same spot Logan was stabbed.

Debbie Sullivan nods.

"Do you want to talk about that?" Benny questions as he gathers the photo and slips it back in the folder.

The woman shakes her head. "I didn't mean none of it, honest."

Benny shakes his head and replies, "Don't really matter. If you did to Wayne what you did to Logan…"

She licks her lips and cries, "I want a lawyer."

That signals the end of the interview. Benny simply dips his chin and adds, "We'll have one for you first thing tomorrow. I'll have an officer escort you back to your cell."

She leans forward and rests her forehead on the edge of the table while Benny gathers his paperwork and folders. I watch her shoulders gently shake while Benny walks out and joins us in the observation room.

"Hey ladies," he greets us, "Whaddya think?"

I shake my head, not able to really…

"I think the A.D.A.'s gonna have a bitch of a time with this case," Nora answers. "I think a good guy paid for the sins of a man that ruined her life."

Benny and Dom nod their heads in agreement.

"I'm going to have a uni escort her down to holding. We'll regroup tomorrow morning, have a court appointed come in and talk to her, run everything by our guy and see what they want," Dom decides.

"We should toss her house tomorrow," Benny suggests.

"We'll handle the search warrant," Nora answers for both of us.

They bob their heads and Dom yawns. He scratches his stomach through the grey dress shirt he has on.

"I need to get home. My wife's gonna have my hide if I don't get home soon. We good?"

I nod and Nora and I head for the door. Stopping short of the hallway, I turn around and say, "Thank you."

Benny winks at me and Dom shrugs, answering, "We did our jobs. No thanks for that Beaumont." He grins at me and gives me his own wink. "'Sides, you and Delaney are gonna do the bulk of the paperwork. I should be thankin' you."

I chuckle at his assumption, turn around and follow Nora out to the car. A glance at my watch tells me it's a little after midnight. Christ, it's been a long day. Nora is standing by Frankie, the passenger door is open and she's waiting next to it to usher me in. Offering her a tired smile, I slip into my spot and watch her shut the door then run around to the driver's side to get in.

"They got her," she says as she turns Frankie over.

I nod, but still can't really manage to say anything. I lean back and rest my head along the top edge of the seat. I feel the tears slip down, hot and annoying, at the same time I feel Nora's hand snake around my waist and slide me over to rest flush against her right side to bury my head in her neck.


	18. Of This Newly Impassioned Soul

**Of This Newly Impassioned Soul**

Shifting in the padded, leather seat, I look out over the small crowd assembled today. Nora is sandwiched between Ann and Patrick. Jill sits on Ann's other side with Darius and my father. Next to Patrick are Chris and Nancy. It's been so crazy the past few months and as I look around, the small press circle and building behind me attests to that.

From my left, Tia nudges my arm and nods towards the podium.

Right, guess it it's time for this…

I smile at her and stand, smoothing out my skirt and blouse. Making sure I have my notes, I step up to podium and wait for the small applause being given at my introduction. I find Nora and lock eyes with her. Her face splits into a grin helping me find my center.

"Hello, as you know, I'm Nikki Beaumont, C.E.O. of the Tilton Auxiliary League and Endowment Program. It's absolutely wonderful to be here today," I begin. "For those of you that aren't aware, this project was started by our late president, Logan Walker. This project was his brain child. He came to me with a proposal that I couldn't say no to, if only for his sheer enthusiasm for it. During its construction, nearly three months ago, Logan, a colleague and old family friend, passed away. All of us who knew him were devastated at the loss, but none felt the pain like his wife, Tia."

I pause and look back at her. She smiles at me encouragingly. "With her help, the help of my staff and the support and love from my friends and family," I say this as I stare down the front row containing those I'm speaking about, "We were able to get the project back on its feet.

"A brilliant woman once told me that to truly effect change, I had to start with only a few things in mind: the knowledge that it will require great sacrifice, the commitment to be a personal force for change and to start with those who need the most help. I didn't understand what that truly meant until I took over the organization from my father. Logan understood that without ever having heard those words spoken.

"For that, for his commitment, his sacrifice and his vision, it's an honor and a privilege to stand here today and celebrate with you the opening of The Walker Renaissance House. This place was designed with specific intent, to help women and children in need, for those women who have suffered at the hands of others and their children; we are honored to assist them in their quest to help themselves. The House will provide housing assistance, offer job placement programs, child care programs and temporary shelter until those that pass through these doors are able to stand on their own."

I shift on my feet and finally look down at the note cards in my hand, realizing that I haven't looked at them at all, but that I'm at the end of my speech regardless. "So with that in mind, please join me in welcoming Tia Walker to help me in cutting the ribbon on her husband's final endeavor."

The crowd claps as I spin around joining Tia by the ceremonial ribbon. Jennifer isn't far behind us, the scissors we are going to use outstretched in her hand. Tia thanks her and takes them. I smile at her and motion for her to do the honors. "Go on," I encourage and she steps up and snips the ribbon.

The crowd claps again, the shutters of camera's sound along with a few flashes going off. I take the scissors and hand them back to Jen. Tia and I end up posing for a few photo opportunities. I try and remember that this is part of the deal.

I think it's why I was never much interested in it. Too much attention. While I don't mind having the spotlight for a few moments, I'm not one to preen or ham it up for the cameras. The society pages are read only as a matter of survival for me, being a part of the gossip has never appealed.

After what feels like hours of posing for pictures or answering questions from reporters, I'm finally released from my duties. Immediately, I seek out my family and friends. My dad is the first to find me.

"Nicollette," he says gathering me in his arms and kissing my cheek, "I'm so proud of you." He looks me over, looking at the hair on the side of my head that I've managed to grow back enough to blend with my other hair. "More importantly, your mother would be proud of you."

"Thank you, daddy," I say and return his kiss.

"Now, I have some people to see and hands to shake. Are we still on for dinner this Wednesday?" he asks as he waves at someone to our left.

"I'll double check with my better half, but I'm pretty sure," I answer and lock eyes with the woman I'm thinking about. She stands off to the side with her family and Darius.

"Excellent," he says and turns to our group, "It was lovely seeing you all again. Wednesday?" he directs the question to Nora.

My lover nods and he beams before slipping into the small crowd gathered at the entrance to the house.

"Nikki!" Jill squeals and bounds over to me, wrapping me up in her long arms. I hug her back and kiss her cheek.

"Hi, Jill," I say genuinely happy that they were able to make it down for this. I tell her as much, "I'm glad you two made it."

She beams. "Well, we would have been here yesterday, but someone…" she coughs loudly and points to Ann, "was stuck in…Des Moines…Peoria…" she waves her hand and shrugs, "Some place in the center of the country."

"St. Louis and what, I tried to get away as soon as possible," Ann comes up and kisses me on my cheek. "I'm not the one that was gone for two weeks gallivanting around the South Pacific working." She air quotes the word 'working' and rolls her eyes.

I sigh and ask Nora, "Have they been like this since their arrival?"

"Pretty much," Chris answers for Nora. "They even threatened us. Something about being out of their room?"

I laugh and shrug. "Well, technically, I think when we moved in there, that was the arrangement that was agreed upon."

Chris just rolls his eyes and Nora looks me over. "Hi," she says and looks around. I can't help but smile.

She's still nervous about there being so many cameras around. Knowing what I need to do, I move our group to a more secluded section of the yard. We step behind a group of trees and I see Nora relax a little.

She does take my hand this time and peck the corner of my mouth. "You were good," she offers.

"Thank you," I say earnestly, meeting her sparkling green eyes. "Where'd Darius run off to?" I ask just noticing his absence.

"He took a call," Nancy speaks up, "and asked me to give this to you." She hands over a sealed envelope.

I look at it and decide that I'll open it later. If he left, it was because of Rashad. The little boy he's been taking care of for the past few months. I've been encouraging him to take over guardianship of the boy.

They get on well and he's been good for Darius.

I hand the envelope to Nora and she tucks it away in the back pocket of her jeans.

"So, shall we go mingle? I need to go schmooze for a little while before I can leave," I make the suggestion. I don't want to stay for more than an hour. Since Nora's come out, Nancy's been fairly insistent on Sunday dinner's at least once, sometimes twice, a month.

Nora promised her we'd come over today and I know the mother of my partner will want to leave soon.

My group all nods and I motion for them to go ahead of me, holding Nora's hand to keep her back.

She turns to me as Patrick and Chris disappear around the pathway.

"Thank you for coming," I say and slip my arm around her waist.

She gives me this sideways glance and shrugs. "I wouldn't have missed it."

* * *

><p>Nora pulls into her mother's driveway, behind Chris' Navigator and cuts the engine. Looking over to me she asks, "Are you ready?"<p>

I shrug. "I've gotten used to slips of the tongue, Nora." I squeeze the hand I'm holding and smile.

"Besides, maybe she'll pick on these two for change." I motion behind us and hear both Ann and Jill chuckle.

"I'll just turn up the charm," Jill says leaning forward to get in on the conversation. "Has she been horrible? You want me to kick her ass?"

Nora and I both look back and see her arms are folded in the middle of the seat, her chin rests on top and she's wiggling her eyebrows.

"Jill," Ann warns, "no one will be doing any ass kicking…except me if I need to. I haven't gotten to the gym in a week and a half." She pulls Jill away and wraps her wife in her arms. "So behave."

Nora chuckles and I shake my head.

"She's been okay," I admit, "For the most part."

"Hey she hasn't asked us if we've tried sleeping with men in over a month," Nora laughs, "Because she just can't seem to understand the mechanics of how we do things in the bedroom." My girl groans and hangs her head. "Of all the conversations I've never wanted to have with my mom, that one right there, is on the top five list."

I arch an eyebrow and ask, "That's not number one?"

She shakes her head. "No, but it's up there. I think I was more uncomfortable when she started talking positions and different ways to have sex with a guy to make me," she pulls her hand away and air quotes her next words, "'like penis' again."

This earns a hoot of laughter from Jill and a rueful chuckle from Ann.

"Oh," I wince, remembering that particular conversation. We were at our house with Darius, Patrick, Chris and Nancy. "I remember that." In sympathy and slight commiseration, I run my hand along her upper thigh.

"She didn't?" the two in the back ask incredulously.

Nora only nods. "She even purchased a sex ed. book to show us the mechanics," my lover bemoans and rubs her forehead.

"Oh. My. God." Jill squeaks from the back.

"She's still alive?" Ann asks with a little wonder in her voice.

"Nora just turned beat red and started fussin' like she can," I speak up as Nora whimpers. "I had to intervene and explain as delicately as possible that as much as we appreciate her 'trying' we're not trying sex with men…again…ever."

"Oh, man," Ann breathes and leans forward. "If she brings it up again, we can start talking sex toys."

Nora's head whips around at the suggestion and Ann backs off, slumping against the seat.

"Bad idea, baby," Jill says then looks at us. "Wait, why are you two getting all the flack? She give any shit to Pat or Chrissy?"

"No," I answer and sigh, "Apparently, because they registered as domestic partners and Chris has buttered her up with the idea of children…"

"It's so unfair," Nora grumbles and tosses her head back. She cranes her neck and looks back at the two,

"Don't…just don't go there, please? I love the woman; I really do, but…"

Ann reaches out and runs her hand through Nora's hair. "I'm sorry, sweetie."

"Come on," Nora shrugs it off, "Let's go. She's probably wondering why we're still sitting in the car."

"Speaking of…" Ann says.

"Lee hooked you two up," Jill finishes. "You happy with her?"

Nora looks over at me and grins. "More than."

I send her a wink before I step from the car and wait on Nora to get out so we can let the two out of the back. Once they're free, I lock and shut my door. Nora's by my side when I look up from straightening out my blouse and skirt. She slips her hand in mine and tugs me along.

Not bothering knocking, Nora steps through and ushers the three of us inside.

"Hug?" Patrick calls out from the living room. I watch as he stands and makes his way over, opening his arms and motioning us to lean in. Huddling together the four of us look at Pat in question. "Just want to give you all a heads up, since we got home, she's been bustling about. Keep your guard up."

Four sets of eyebrows rise, but before we have time to ask anything further, Nancy breezes in and interrupts, "What are ya'll standing around the front door for. Get your tails in here. Nora and Nikki, I'm going to need your help in the kitchen."

She flitters away after the demand and we break up.

"Why don't you all go relax in the living room? Nikki and I will be with my mom," my lover directs the group. "And I swear if she pulls some other stunt, I won't be held responsible Patrick." She pokes a finger at her brother. "She's your mother too."

"Hey," the man holds his hands up, "I've been trying to get her to stop. She said she'd make more of an effort with you two." He cocks his head to the side and asks, "You don't have your gun on you do you?"

Nora smiles and pats the small of her back. "And my badge. They're like my American Express card."

"You don't leave home without it," Ann and I finish together.

"Don't shoot her, please?" Patrick begs.

Nora sighs but nods. "Bobby comin'?"

"No," I answer, "He sent me a message earlier. I think he's talked to your mom though…"

Nodding, Nora takes up my hand again and leads me towards the kitchen.

What in the name of…is that smell?

"Oh," Nora smacks her lips together, "she's making her etouffee."

"No," I state and stop us before we enter the kitchen. "Please, Nora?" I plead. I don't ask her that often, but on top of everything else, if she thinks I'm going to sit there and watch a whole house full of people slurp up mudbug stew, my blonde haired counterpart has another thing coming.

A wry smile passes over her and she shrugs. "We'll let you eat the dirty rice."

I hang my head and allow myself to be led to my doom.

As we enter, Nancy turns away from the stove and smiles at us. She looks me over and smiles. It's a new type of smile for her.

It spells trouble.

"Oh good," she says ushering us in and directing us to sit at the small kitchen table, "I wanted to speak to you privately before we sit down to supper."

Nora and I sit shoulder to shoulder and she looks at me. Nancy takes up a seat across from us and pulls out a folder.

"Now," she starts in and I feel my stomach drop, "I know I can sometimes be stubborn, but that's no surprise. Nikki if you're used to dealing with my daughter…" she trails off and laughs at her own joke. I can't really argue, so I just smile and play along. "But, I got to thinking a few weeks ago and did a little bit of research. For instance, did you know that you can register at the county clerk's office as domestic partners?"

Nora and I both nod but remain silent.

Please tell me she isn't going to suggest what I think she's going to suggest…

"Well, how wonderful, and I was thinking that maybe, this," she waves a hand between the two of us, "would be easier for me if we could make it more official." She slides the folder over to our side of the table. "You two go ahead and have a look see. I'll finish up dinner."

Nora and I lock eyes and we both shake our head at the same time. This is unbelievable. We reach out at the same time and open the folder up. On one side, the paperwork to register is on top.

Our attention is drawn to the other side more. Sitting on top of another small stack of forms is a pamphlet for a sperm donor clinic.

Nora's head falls to the table top as it registers.

It's going to be a long dinner.

* * *

><p>Nora presses a towel in my hand and I wipe the water from my face, finally scrubbing away the day and the make-up. I'm exhausted. The opening of the house and then dinner…<p>

Sitting through two hours of sly comments and suggestions from Nora's mother was enough to make me want to take a bridge. I think Nora may have even suggested it at one point this evening.

At least we made it through.

I drop the towel on top of my sink and look over at Nora. She sits on the edge of the tub scratching behind Mister's ears.

"You ready for bed, sugga?" I ask and hold out my hand.

Nodding, she stands and takes it. "More than. And, I'm sorry again Nikki, I know that…" she trails off as we pad in to the bedroom. We break apart and she goes to her side to help me pull down the covers. "I'll have a talk with her tomorrow. I promise. I'm just…"

I wave off the millionth apology and let her in on a little secret, "Don't baby, Daddy's been after me to make an honest woman out of you for a little while now too." Her mouth drops open a little as we crawl into bed. Immediately, we snuggle up. She gathers me in her arms tonight and I rest my head in the crook of her shoulder.

"So it's not just her then. Good to know." She begins playing with the medallion on my wrist. The beat of her heart picks up tempo slightly and I squeeze her hip. "I remember what you said a few months back, right after Logan was killed…"

"Hmm," I hum and fidget with the drawstring on her pajama bottoms.

"You still don't care? 'Cause I've tried…" she swallows and finds her voice again, "Ya know with being more involved…I don't want you thinking that I don't care Nik. I do. I just…"

I stop with the drawstring and move my attention to her exposed tummy from where her night shirt's ridden up. I begin tracing patterns along the strip of skin, trying to soothe her. I have noticed. After Lo, she did take a more active interest. Helped some with the House and even pitched in a few days at the foundation when I had to go in.

We had a talk about it after and she understands.

"So, I mean, I get it, ya know? We're together and since I'm planning on being together until we're old and grey together or six feet under, preferably the old and grey, being with you means other things. Other responsibilities. I just don't know if you want…with work…it's so hard, and I don't want…I mean to say that I just don't want the pat dream or…"

I lick my lips and raise a finger to still her next words. Shifting, I look up and press a kiss to the underside of that delectable chin of hers. I laugh a little and find her hand to lace with mine. "Why do you think that commitment is a place in the suburbs and children?" I wonder.

"I don't know…it's what everyone else seems to think…" she stammers.

I shake my head against her chest and set her straight, "Let me tell you that my happily ever after, if such things exist, have only two things in it: me and you. The rest, Nora Delaney, we can make up as we go along. What's so wrong with that?" I wonder.

"Nothing," she answers my question and I feel the tension ease from her body beneath me.

"I didn't think so. Your mother and my father seem to think that it's what's required. We've been together for a while and we're both insistent and have told them that that won't change. I'm not in the space to think kids even though most women our age are. We're not most women. I'm happy with our life. I love my job, our home, our family, as crazy as they can be, and more importantly I love where we're at right now. Why change what's working?"

"Really?" she wonders aloud. "You don't want…"

"I think the pressure from our respective parents is sweet in that overbearing way, but like I told my daddy, the perceptions of others don't mean much. I worry about what you think though." I press a finger to her chest for emphasis. "If you're happy with how things are, then I am too. Sperm donor clinics and domestic partnership paperwork be damned."

This earns me a rueful chuckle and I giggle a little. I'm still a little amazed that Nancy was that ballsy.

"Okay," Nora finally breathes. "I'm good, great even."

"Hmmm," I hum and snuggle further into her. "Me too."

The quiet of the house settles over us. Ann and Jill are safe downstairs. Mister's over on his bed and Reba's curled at the end of the bed. All is right with our world.

For right now at least.

We'll have to wait and see what tomorrow brings, but at least I'll be with Nora. I'm content in that knowledge as I feel a kiss press to the top of my head and a whispered 'I love you' before I drift off to sleep.


End file.
